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THE  PEARL 

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SECTION  II 
MIDDLE  ENGLISH    LITERATURE 


GENERAL  EDITOR 


EWALD  FLUGEL,  Ph.D. 

PROFESSOR   or   ENGLISH    PHILOLOGY   IN  LELAND 
STANFORD  JUNIOR   UNIVERSITY 


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THE   PEARL 


A   MIDDLE   ENGLISH   POEM 


EDITED,    WITH    INTRODUCTION, 
NOTES,    AND    GLOSSARY 


BY 


CHARLES    G.    OSGOOD,   JR.,    Ph.  D. 

PRECEPTOR    IN    ENGLISH    IN    PRINCETON    UNIVERSITY 


BOSTON,    U.S.A.,    AND    LONDON 

D.   C.   HEATH  &  CO.,  PUBLISHERS 
1906 


COPYRIGHT,    1906,    BY    D.    C.   HEATH   &   CO. 
ALL    RIGHTS    RESERVED 


TO  MY  FRIEND 

FRANCIS  PHELPS  DODGE 

THIS  BOOK   IS   AFFECTIONATELY   INSCRIBED 


preface 

In  its  external  loveliness,  and  even  more  in  its  deeper 
spiritual  beauty  and  truth,  lies  sufficient  reason  for  most 
patient  and  devoted  study  of  The  Pearl ;  yet  the  poem 
has  hitherto  found  little  fame  or  real  appreciation.  This 
is  easily  accounted  for  by  the  remoteness  of  its  dialect, 
the  obscurity  of  its  language  and  literary  relations,  and  its 
somewhat  unworldly,  and  at  present  uncongenial,  content. 
Two  editions  only  have  appeared  —  the  first  being  little 
more  than  a  diplomatic  reproduction  of  the  manuscript, 
and  the  second  incomplete  in  apparatus ;  both  are  expen- 
sive, and  not  in  common  circulation. 

My  object  has  therefore  been  twofold — to  bring  the 
poem  to  a  greater  number  of  readers,  and  to  furnish  it 
with  such  setting  and  explanation  as  may  help  to  release  its 
pure  and  noble  influences  as  a  work  of  art.  To  this  end 
distinctions  of  meaning  in  the  glossary  are  more  elaborate 
than  is  usually  necessary  in  the  study  of  a  Middle  English 
text ;  and  many  citations  are  made  in  the  notes  as  partial 
evidence  that  the  poem  is  not  an  isolated  creation,  but 
is  closely  allied,  both  through  its  general  characteristics 
and  many  details,  with  the  literature  of  various  kinds  under 
whose  inspiration  it  was  written. 

The  text  I  have  derived  from  the  manuscript  through 
photographs  of  it  made  for  me  at  the  British  Museum.  I 
have  thus  been  able  to  correct  errors  of  detail  in  both  previ- 
ous editions,  and  to  pass  judgment  upon  Pick's  notes  on  the 
text  and  the  manuscript.  Certain  difficulties,  however, 
still  remain,  which  I  hope  may  engage  skill  greater  than 
mine,  and  thus  in  due  time  be  cleared  away.    For  the  sake 


viii  preface 

of  accessibility  I  have  deposited  photographic  facsimiles  of 
the  manuscript  in  the  library  at  Princeton  and  at  Yale. 

I  have  taken  the  liberty  to  change  the  title  commonly 
given  to  the  longer  homiletic  poem  of  our  author.  Clan- 
nesse  is  awkward,  and  sorts  ill  with  the  modernized  titles 
given  to  the  other  works  of  the  poet.  Cleanness  in  its 
modern  sense  does  not  render  the  poet's  word  clannesse, 
and  is  too  narrow  and  prosaic.  Since  the  titles  are,  in  any 
case,  only  those  given  by  modern  editors,  I  have  adopted 
the  title  Purity,  as  being  in  all  respects  more  accurate  and 
appropriate. 

It  remains  to  express  my  gratitude  to  Professor  Albert 
S.  Cook,  not  only  for  reading  much  of  the  proof,  but  for 
his  friendly  interest  and  counsel  during  the  progress  of  the 
work.  I  am  indebted  also  to  Professor  Fliigel  for  his 
helpful  criticism  and  suggestions  ;  and  to  the  Rev.  H.  M. 
Bannister  for  most  useful  advice  in  certain  difficulties  of 
transcribing  the  text. 

C.  G.  O.,  Jr. 

Princeton  Uni-versity,  January  z6,  1906. 


91ntrotiuction 


Manuscript 

The  unique  manuscript  of  The  Pearl  is  at  the  British 
Museum.  It  is  bound  up  with  other  pieces  in  a 
small  quarto  volume  of  vellum  folios,  measuring  six 
and  three-fourths  inches  by  four  and  five-eighths, 
and  the  whole  constitutes  Cotton  MS.  Nero  A.  x 
(newly  added  number,  4-  4).  The  most  complete 
description  of  the  manuscript  is  that  by  Sir  Frederick 
Madden  in  his  Sir  Gawayne,  pp.  xlvii-1.  The  rel- 
evant part  of  this  manuscript  is  folios  41—130  (new 
numbering),  which  contain  the  following  texts  in 
order:  The  Pearl  (43a-59b),  Purity  (6ia-85b), 
Patience  (87a-94b),  Gawain  (95a-i28b).  This 
portion  of  the  volume,  according  to  Madden,  was 
written  by  one  and  the  same  hand,  in  a  small,  sharp, 
irregular  character,  which  is  often,  from  the  pale- 
ness of  the  ink  and  the  contractions  used,  difficult 
to  read.  Twelve  rude  pictures  in  color  are  inter- 
spersed, illustrating  the  text,  of  which  the  first  four 
belong  to  The  Pearl.  The  manuscript  was  probably 
written  near  the  end  of  the  fourteenth  century,^  per- 
haps by  a  scribe  of  a  region  somewhat  further  south 
than  that  of  the  poet,  as  is  indicated  by  some  admix- 
ture of  Southern  forms  not  employed  in  rime.^    Knigge 

1  GoUancz,  ed.,  p.  xxi.  *  Knigge,  p,  117. 


X  31ntroDuction 

thinks  that  at  least  The  Pearl  had  been  copied  once  — 
perhaps  several  times — before  the  date  of  the  manu- 
script.^ 

^  Certain  minor  peculiarities  of  the  manuscript  which  do  not 
appear  in  the  transcription  in  this  book  may  be  mentioned  for  the 
consideration  of  more  critical  readers.  ( i )  The  following  words, 
which  I  have  either  hyphenated  or  printed  as  one  word  for  uniform- 
ity's sake,  are  in  all  cases  written  in  two  or  more  parts  in  the 
manuscript  :  agrete,  aldermen,  almyyy,  alone,  an-vnder,  arepede, 
atslykej,  hredful,  bycalle,  bycaivse,  hydene,  byhod,  bysivyke^,  by- 
ta^te,  bitalt,  bytivene,  bytivyste,  castel-ivalle,  day-glem,  debonerte, 
degres,  doel-doungoun,  doel-dystresse,  e-vermore,  forbrent,  for- 
didden,  fordolked,  for^ete,  forgarte,  forgo,  forpayned,  forsope, 
forpy,  Godhede,  godnesse,  ^orefader,  hereinne,  he'venryche,  holte- 
•wode^,  hyl-coppe,  hymself  (except  680),  innoghe,  innome,  lompely^t, 
luf-daungere,  luf-longeyng,  mankyn,  maysterful,  myself,  mysetente, 
nopynk  (except  587?),  oncom,  onsivare,  outdryf,  outfieme,  outry^te, 
outsprente,  queresoeuer ,  quepersoeuer,  ryjtivysly,  slepyng-sla^te,  sum- 
lyme,  sunnebeme^,  sytole-stryng,  to-euen,  torente,  perfore,  Perinne, 
peron,  peroute,  pur jout/y,  pyse/f  {^txce^t  779),  "vmbegon,  -vmbepy^te, 
'vna'vysed,  "vncortayse,  -vnderstonde,  "vnhyde,  •vntreiue,  •vfwyth, 
•vyrgynflour ,  ivythinne,  ivythnay,  ivythouten,  ivod-schanve^,  ivylday. 
The  following  words  are  divided  in  the  manuscript  only  in  the  cases 
indicated  :  alas,  1 138  ;  also,  1071  ;  anende,  186,  697,  975  ;  bost- 
ivys,  814;  byfore,  294;  bygonne,  33,  549;  byionde,  146,  98 1  5 
for-de-lys,  195;  tnlyche,  546;  into,  231,  521,  525,  628; 
iivyse,  279  ;  neuerpeles,  881,  901,  912,  913;  ry^twys,  675,  689; 
toivarde,  67,  974;  perof,  161,  410,  1069,  1084;  perto,  833, 
1 1 40;  ivelnej,  528.  The  only  case  of  actual  hyphenation  by 
the  scribe  is  saker-fyse,  1064.  (2)  On  the  other  hand,  many 
unstressed  monosyllables  are  written  as  proclitics,  especially  the  pro- 
nouns /,  no  ;  the  article  a  ;  the  prepositions  in,  on,  to  :  the  auxil- 
iaries am,  con  ;  and  frequently  me,  hem,  he,  al,  the  article  pe,  of, 
fro,  for  (in  for  to),  al,  as,  hoiv,  more,  ne,  tyl,  be,  mon,  schal, 
ivy  I.  (  3  )  ivaf^  seems  preferable  to  ivac'^,  as  G.  prints  it  ( cf.  esp. 
1041  n. ).  j  is  represented  in  the  MS.  usually  by  long  /'  (short  ;  in 
about  one-sixth  of  the  cases ) ,  as  is  also  the  pronoun  / ;  -v  initially, 


31ntrotiuftion  xi 

Date 

Scholars  have  assigned  The  Pearl  to  dates  varying 
from  1360  to  1400,  as  follows:  Ten  Brink,  'in 
the  sixties  or  seventies  ; '  ^  Thomas,  before  1375  ;  " 
Gollancz,  about  1360;^  Fick,  on  the  basis  of  phono- 
logical investigation,  near  the  end  of  the  century.*  It 
seems  probable  that  Purity  was  written  before  The 
Pear  I  J'  Dr.  Carleton  F.  Brown  has  shown  that  in  the 
composition  oi  Purity  the  French  text  of  MandevilW s 
Travels  was  used,  and  that  this  text  was  probably  not 
accessible  in  England  before  1370.^  Furthermore,  if 
The  Pearl  is  related  to  Chaucer's  Book  of  the  Duchess, 
the  date,  since  Blanche,  the  subject  of  Chaucer's  elegy, 
died  in  1369,  cannot  be  earlier,  and  probably  not 
much  later,  than  1370. 

Dialect 

For  details  of  the  phonology  and  inflection  (of 
verbs),   the    reader   may    be  referred    to    the  studies 

and  u  within  the  word,  is  the  scribe's  rule,  whether  for  vowel  or 
consonant.  The  manuscript  is  without  punctuation,  and,  with  two 
or  three  unimportant  exceptions,  the  only  capitals  are  at  the  begin- 
nings of  the  stanzas. 

'  History  I.  336  ;  he  assigns  all  the  works  of  the  poet  to  this 
decade,  placing  The  Pearl  second  in  order. 

^  &>  Gaivayne,  p.  33. 

3  Ed.,  p.  xlii. 

*  Zum  Gedickt  -von  der  Per/e,  p.  I ;  Trautmann  (  Uher  f^erfasser, 
etc.,  p.  33),  without  mentioning  TAe  Pearl,  assigns  the  other 
works  to  the  decade  1370-1380. 

*  See  p.  xlix. 

*  Pp.  149-153  of  article  cited  in  Bibliography,  §  vi. 


xii  5Illtf<5^ttftWn 

by  Knigge,  Fick,  and  Schwahn.^  Their  investiga- 
tions encounter  certain  difficulties  in  the  matter  of  dia- 
lect, most  of  which  in  the  case  of  The  Pearl  are  to 
be  explained  by  the  strict  requirements  of  metre,^  and 
by  the  poet's  familiarity  with  the  speech  and  literature 
of  other  regions  than  his  own.  His  literary  language, 
then,  is  not  purely  that  of  any  spoken  dialect.^ 

In  general,  the  language  is  that  of  the  extreme  North- 
west Midland,^  and  is  distinguished  from  the  language 
more  characteristic  of  the  Midland  by  a  large  admix- 
ture of  Northern  words,  inflections,  and  sounds.  It 
is,  for  the  most  part,  the  dialectal  vocabulary  which 
makes  the  text  difficult  for  the  reader  of  standard  Eng- 
lish, and  part  of  this  difficulty  is  due  to  the  great  num- 
ber of  Scandinavian  words  employed.^  On  the  other 
hand,  the  Romance  element  in  the  vocabulary  is  un- 
usually large,  as  the  glossary  shows.  This  is  an  arti- 
ficial and  sophisticated  modification  of  the  dialect,  due 
chiefly  to  the  poet's  reading  in  French  literature. 

The  most  distinct  dialectal  feature  is  the  consistent 
use  of  the  Northern  ending  -es  of  the  2  and  3  sg.  pres., 
and  -ande  of  the  pres.  part.,  instead  of  the  usual  Mid- 
land -estf  -et>,  -ende  or  -inge.^    Another  characteristic 

'  Knigge's  treatment  of  the  phonology  is  better  than  Pick's. 

^  See  p.  xiii,  and  Glossary,  passim. 

^  A  fact  perhaps  too  often  overlooked  by  students  of  phonology. 
To  say  (Knigge,  p.  43)  that  T/ie  Pearl  was  written  in  a  region  a 
little  farther  north  than  Gaiuain  may  be  laying  too  great  stress  of 
interpretation  upon  the  linguistic  phenomena  of  the  poems. 

*  Morsbach,  Mittelenglische  Grammatik,  pp.  9-15. 

^  Knigge,  pp.  71-89. 

^  Syking,  1 1 75  (cf.  n.  ),  is  the  one  exception  ;  it  may  be  due  to  a 


31ncroDuction  xiii 

is  ufoT  y  (umlaut  of  o  or  a)  :  burde,  316;  lure^,  339  ; 
gulte,  942  ;  mul,  905  ;  vmbe,  204,  210,  1052 
(Knigge  29—30)  ;  but  cf.  cartel,  203  ;  huyle,  41  ; 
mol,  382  ;  worch,  511  ;  /^j/,  A/7,  789,  976  ;  kynde, 
74;  i^"'/^^,  152,  etc.  ;  lyper,  569  ;  wyrke^,  536.  The 
occasional  use  of  a  Northern  ,«  (  =  O.  E.  ^)  for  0  is, 
in  nearly  every  instance,  a  concession  to  rime.^  A  case 
within  the  line  is  nawhere,  534,  932.  Another 
trait  is  g  for  j  :  gay7i,  138  ;  gyue,  174,  270,  etc.  ; 
gete,  95  ;  but  for^ete,  86. 

Origins 

Romance  Poetry.  One  of  the  most  important  ante- 
cedents of  The  Pearl  is  the  Roman  de  la  Rose.  The 
Roman  was  begun  as  early  as  1237,  and  finished  about 
1277.  The  Pearl  was  not  written  before  1370.  In 
the  meantime  the  influence  of  the  great  French  allegory 

Southern  scribe,  or  to  the  intrusion  of  the  Southern  form  into  the 
North  on  its  way  to  becoming  standard.  Throughout  the  plural 
the  ending  is  generally  the  Midland  -e(n),  though  a  few  cases  of 
Northern -«i  appear  ;  see  75,  79,  308,439,  510,  573,687,  1080, 
1 197.  The  -n  of  the  infinitive  is  sometimes  retained  for  the  rime  ; 
866  45,  68,  69,  820,  914,  1 196;  but  at  16  and  1032  it  serves 
no  metrical  purpose. 

'  See  page  xii.  Here  may  be  noted  also  the  following  peculiarities  : 
the  general  use  of  the  Northern  adj.  and  adv.  suffix  -ly  (correspond- 
ing to  O.  N.  -ligr ,-ligd),  instead  of  Southern -//cA,  -Ikhe  (cf.  546 
n.);  (ju  in  most  cases  for  O.  E.  h'w  (see  gloss,  s.  v.  quat,  quen, 
quere,  queper,  I'^y^t  ?"",  it-'hy^  ;  sk  for  sch  in  skyfte,  569  ;  oc- 
casional -v  for  initial  iv  (^-vayned,  249  ;  -vere^,  177,  -vered,  254, 
"vyf,  772,  785  ;  -veued,  976)  ;  the  Northern  contract-forms  man, 
512,  tan,  614,  (for  makcn,  taken),  ma  (make),  283,  maf^  (make}), 
610;  at  [pat),  536,  672;  kyrk,  1061  ;  tylle,  676;  plural  form 
childer,  714,  718. 


xiv  31ntroDuction 

of  love  had  become  paramount.  Every  English  and 
French  court-poet  of  the  fourteenth  century  doubtless 
knew  the  Roman  at  first  hand,  as  did  the  author  of  The 
P^tfr/ himself,  who,  in  his  poem,  Purity,  cites  Jean  de 
Meun  at  length.^  During  the  fourteenth  century  both 
the  style  and  the  machinery  of  the  Roman  de  la  Rose 
were  employed  again  and  again,  in  many  cases  to  set 
forth  subjects  wholly  different  from  that  of  the  Roman 
itself.  The  Pearl  is  an  instance  of  such  adaptation, 
but  the  influence  of  the  older  poem  is  apparent  rather 
in  the  employment  of  the  style  and  machinery  of  the 
Roman,  than  in  the  reproduction  of  single  details. 

While  much  of  this  influence  proceeded  directly 
from  the  Roman,  doubtless  much  of  it  was  reflected, 
or,  one  may  say,  sustained,  by  the  many  fourteenth- 
century  imitators  of  the  Roman  with  whose  works  our 
poet  was  familiar,  and  with  whom  he  must  have  felt  a 
certain  comradeship  in  his  art.  Such  are  Baudouin  de 
Conde  and  his  son  Jean,  Watriquet  de  Couvin,  Guil- 
laume  de  Machault,  Froissart,  Deschamps,  Langland, 
and  Chaucer.  It  is  therefore  likely  that  certain  de- 
vices and  expressions  in  The  Pearl,  instead  of  being 
derived  immediately  from  the  Roman,  were  adopted  by 
the  poet  as  commonplaces  in  contemporary  poetry.^ 

The  device  of  the  sleep  and  the  vision  in  field  or 

'    Pur.   1057-10645    cf.  also  Pearl  269  f.,  906,  962. 

^  See  citations  in  the  notes  from  the  poets  mentioned.  Cf.  also 
pp.  xxii,  XXX,  xxxiii.  The  fact  that  Chaucer's  four  visions  were 
likewise  '  composed  under  the  dominating  influence  of  the  genre 
of  vision-literature,'  and  not  drawn  from  one  definite  source  therein, 
was  demonstrated  before  the  Modern  Language  Association  at 
Haverford,  Dec.  28,  1905,  by  Mr.  W.  O.  Sypherd. 


idntroDuctton  xv 

wood  was  put  to  a  great  variety  of  uses  in  the  four- 
teenth century.  Besides  the  traditional  use  as  the 
setting  for  a  love-poem  or  for  the  praise  of  women,  it 
was  also  employed  in  allegory  of  a  moral  or  homiletic 
cast  ;  in  parables,  dits,  and  conies  ;  in  satire,  both 
political  and  ecclesiastical  ;  in  eulogy;  in  poems  treating 
a  combination  of  these  themes  ;  and  finally,  as  in  The 
Pearl  znd  Chaucer's  Book  of  the  Duchess,  in  elegy. ^ 

In  The  Pearl  appears  also  the  setting  familiar  to  any 
reader  of  the  Roman  de  la  Rose  or  its  descendants. 
There  is  first  the  garden  where  the  poet  falls  asleep, 
and  then  the  garden  or  fair  country  which  he  visits  in 
his  dream.  Though  this  setting  does  not  invariably 
accompany  the  device  of  the  dream,  it  recurs  fre- 
quendy  enough,  with  even  the  same  details,  to  have 
become  a  convention,  and  in  The  Pearl  the  garden 
where  the  poet  falls  asleep  reproduces  some  of  its  famil- 
iar traits  (cf.  p.  Iv).  In  the  principal  scene  of  the 
poem  are  the  familiar  trees,  birds,  flowers,  fruits, 
meadow  and  river,  and  precious  stones  ;  but  towering 
cliffs  of  crystal  are  superadded,  and  all  is  much  more 
spacious,  resplendent,  and  sublime  than  in  the  poet's 
predecessors  and  contemporaries,"^ 

The  Roman  de  la  Rose,  itself  first  of  all  an  allegory, 
was  a  model  for  most  of  the  allegory  of  the  fourteenth 

1  French  examples  are  Watriquet's  Li  Dis  de  r  Arhre  Royal 
for  Philippe  le  Bel  and  his  four  sons,  and  this  same  poet's  Dis  du 
Conneitable  de  France-^  see  CEwvres,  ed.  Scheler,  pp.  43,  83. 
The  latter  is  not  strictly  a  dream,  though  speaking  personifications 
are  introduced  in  the  manner  of  the  Roman  de  la  Rose. 

''  See  p.  XX. 


xvi  31ntroi)uction 

century.  In  this  respect  The  Pearl  differs  from  the 
Roman,  since  it  is  not  primarily  allegorical.  Indeed, 
in  the  last  analysis,  the  conscious  allegory  of  The  Pearl 
is  a  minor  element  in  the  poem,  and,  except  for  a 
Biblical  parable  or  two,  consists  in  little  more  than  the 
use  of  the  term  *  pearl '  for  a  person,  as  the  term  '  rose ' 
had  been  similarly  employed.^  Not  one  of  the  per- 
sonifications of  abstract  qualities,  whose  speeches  consti- 
tute by  far  the  chief  part  of  the  Roman  and  its  kind, 
is  distinctly  present  in  The  Pearl.  The  significance 
of  this  fact  is  shown  elsewhere.^ 

One  curious  practice  of  fourteenth-century  poets  has 
been  adopted  in  The  Pearl —  that  of  dating  the  poem. 
The  poet  says  : 

To  J>at  spot  \>3X  1  in  speche  expou« 

I  entred  in  J)at  erber  grene, 

In  Augoste  in  a  hyj  seysouw, 

Quen  corn  is  coruen  wyth  crokej  kene. ' 

*  Hy3  seysoun '   is  a  high  feast ;  ^  and  the  highest 

feast   in   August,  and  the  one  most  likely  thus  to  be 

designated,  is   that  of  the   Assumption  of  the  Virgin, 

on  the  fifteenth.^     The  appropriateness  of  the  date  of 

'  See  pp.  Intro,  xxii,  xxxii,  xxxiii,  and  n.  3. 

^  See  p.  Intro,  xxxiv.  3  Lines  37—40. 

^  The  poet  uses  '  hyj  '  in  this  sense,  of  the  Nativity,  Gatv. 
932,  1037. 

^  Watriquet  de  Couvin  frequently  dates  his  visions  :  Li  Dis 
des  II II  Sages  (^Dits,  ed.  Scheler,  pp.  163  ff. ),  is  dated  the 
Ascension,  1319  ;  Li  Dis  de  V  Arbre  Royal,  an  elegy  [Dits,  pp. 
83  fF. ),  a  Thursday  morning;  Li  Tournois  des  Dames  (^Dits,  pp.  23  I 
fF. ),  mid-October,  1327,  evidently  the  date  of  an  actual  dream  ; 
Li  Dis  de  r Iraigne  et  du  Crapot  (^Dits,  p.  64),  Tuesday  in  June, 
1329.     So  Froissart,   Le  Joli   Buisson  de  Jonece   {^CEwvres,  ed. 


31ntroi)uctton  xvii 

this  feast  to  the  theme  of  the  poem  is  obvious,^  yet, 
judging  by  the  analogies  just  cited  in  the  footnote  from 
works  of  other  poets,  it  may  be  merely  the  date  of 
the  poet's  conception  of  his  work,  or  the  day  of  an 
actual  dream  which  comforted  him  in  his  griet,  and 
which  he  elaborated  into  the  poem.^ 

In  external  form,  as  well  as  in  matter.  The  Pearl 
owes  something  to  Romance  origins  ^—  a  topic  dis- 
cussed more  conveniently  in  the  section  on  metre.  ^ 

The  Bible.  Another  of  the  important  literary  in- 
fluences apparent  in  The  Pearl  proceeds  from  the 
Bible.  Of  the  total  of  6074  lines  in  the  author's  four 
poems,  about  2400  are  quotation  or  paraphrase  of 
Scripture.  Of  these,  about  2100  are,  however,  in 
Purity  and  Patience,  and  the  rest  in  The  Pearl.  Sub- 
joined is  a  list  of  Biblical  allusions  in  the  poem,  which 
is  itself  almost  a  sufficient  comment  upon   the   poet's 

Scheler,  2.  I  ff. ),  1.  859,  a  dream  dated  Nov.  30,  1360;  cf. 
3.  5,  11.  134  fF.j  Chaucer,  House  of  Fame,  'The  tenthe  day  of 
Decembre,'  I.  63  ;  cf.  Chaucer,  Pari.  Foules  iij,  and  Skeat'a 
note;  Canticum  de  Creatione  (Horstmann,  1878,  p.  124),  1.  1186. 
Dated  poems  other  than  visions  are  found  in  Dits  de  Watricjuet,  p. 
329,  feast  of  St.  Mary  Magdalene  in  the  year  1320  ;  p.  359,  St. 
Lawrence,  1324;  p.  290,  day  after  feast  of  St.  Martin,  1327; 
Froissart,  (Eu-vres  I.  222,  the  year  1368;  CEwvres  de  B.  te  jf.  de 
Condi,  ed.  Scheler,  3.  49,  December.  The  practice  is  also  found 
in  Provencal  ;  see  Mahn,  ff^erie  der  Troubadours  I.  198.  In  time 
the  date  of  the  poem  came  merely  to  designate  a  season  appropriate 
to  the  matter  in  hand.  See  Triggs'  Lydgate^  s  Assembly  of  Gods, 
E.  E.  T.  S.,  Extr.  Ser.,  69.  liii-lv,  where  later  examples  are  cited. 

1  Cf  763  n. 

2  This     last     may    be    indicated    by    11.     19-20,     where    sange 
seems  to  designate  The  Pearl  itself,  at  least  the  part  from  1.  61  on. 

^  See  pp.  xlii  ff. 


xviii  3(lntrotiuction 

use  of  Scripture  for  poetic  purposes.'  Both  in  The 
Pearl  and  in  his  other  works  this  use  is  two-fold  :  ( i  ) 
as  final  authority  for  a  statement,  in  the  so-called  proof- 
text  method  of  theological  discussion,  as  at  11.  458— 
468,  595-596,  677,  697,  etc.;  (z)  for  pictorial 
effect.  In  the  first  of  these  uses  the  quotations  are 
fragmentary  and  generally  exact.  But  the  second  use  is 
by  far  the  more  extensive.  It  includes  particularly  the 
description  of  the  New  Jerusalem  ;  ^  and  in  the  Para- 
ble of  the  Vineyard, though  the  passage  is  cited  in  argu- 
ment, there  is  a  manifest  tendency  to  insert  picturesque 
details.  A  glance  at  the  table  of  Biblical  equivalents  will 
show  that  in  his  use  of  the  Apocalypse  the  poet  has  by 
no  means  taken  all  the  material  which  it  affords,  nor  re- 
produced it  in  its  original  order,  but  has  chosen  here 
and  there  a  detail,  so  that  the  effect  of  the  picture  of 
the  Heavenly  City  in  his  poem  is  quite  different  from 
that  of  the  Scriptural  account.^  More  noticeable  still 
is  his  consistent  rejecdon  of  nearly  every  suggestion  of 
symbolism  or  allegory  found  in  the  original.'*  In  this 
he  differs  not  a  little  from  the  practice  of  his  times, 
and  the  difference  cannot  be  better  illustrated  than  by 
comparing  his  description  of  the  New  Jerusalem  with 

'  Pp.  98-100,  immediately  following  the  Notes. 

'  In  the  homiletic  works  each  account  —  the  Parable  of  the 
Wedding  Feast,  the  Flood,  the  Destruction  of  Sodom,  Belshaz- 
zar's  Feast,  the  Story  of  Jonah  —  is  expanded  with  much  inserted 
picturesque  material  quite  irrelevant  to  the  appended  moral.  Thus 
in  Purity  440  lines  are  used  to  narrate  the  events  recorded  in  3 1 
verses  of  the  fifth  chapter  of  Daniel,  and  in  Patience  48  verses  of 
Jonah  are  expanded  to  463  lines. 

2  See  p.  Ivi.  *  See  p.  xxxiv. 


31ntrot)uction  xix 

that  by  Richard  Rolle  {^The  Pricke  of  Conscience 
8788  ff. ),  where  every  detail  is  an  explained  symbol 
of  some  attribute,  sentiment,  or  experience.* 

Unlike  his  contemporaries,  our  poet  employs  little 
apocryphal  material,  and  seldom  draws  from  patristic 
embellishment  or  commentary,  or  cites  patristic  and 
scholastic  authority.^ 

Alliterative  Poetry  of  the  North.  Besides  the 
more  external  influences  which  have  just  been  men- 
tioned, there  is  the  influence  of  the  poetry  peculiar  to 
the  region  in  which  the  poem  was  at  home  —  the  four- 
teenth-century poetry  of  the  North.  Its  chief  medium 
was  the  revived  alliterative  long  line  employed  by  our 
poet  in  his  other  works,  whose  influence  is  shown  in  the 
abundance  of  alliteration,  irregularity  of  verse,  and  much 
of  the  peculiar  poetic  vocabulary  of  The  Pearl.  Four 
other  and  more  essential  traits  of  the  Northern  school 
appear  with  greater  or  less  distinctness  in  our  poem: 

First  is  the  energy  of  its  diction,  which  relapses,  in 

'  Cf.  also  Bruno  of  Asti  (Migne,  Patr.  Lot.  165.  891);  Rupert 
of  Deutz  [Patr.  Lat.  169.  1 1 92  ff. );  Hugo  of  St.  Victor  [Patr. 
Lat.  176.  1 1 59  ff. )  ;  Bonaventura,  Diata  Salutis  10.  6  ;  or  such 
commentaries  on  Revelation  as  that  of  Albertus. 

2  In  his  article  in  Publications  of  the  Modern  Language 
^Association  19.  115  ff.,  Dr.  Brown  says:  'Our  author  handles 
Scriptural  material  with  an  accuracy  of  detail  which  is  not  to  be  met 
with  in  any  of  the  other  metrical  versions.'  He  cites  the  M.  E. 
Genesis  and  Exodus  and  C'lrsor  Mundi  in  comparison,  but  these 
are  by  earlier  and  less  siiiiful  writers.  No  unusual  accuracy  of 
quotation  appears  in  The  Pearl  as  compared  with  an  example  like 
Speculum  Gy  de  Wartuycke,  E.  E.  T.  S.  Extr.  Ser.  75,  11.  947- 
1004;  earlier,  but  quite  as  accurate,  are  the  Jesus  MS.  Passion 
(E.  E.  T.  S.  49.  37)  and  theDe  Mulicre  Samaritana  [ib.,  p.  84). 


XX  31nti^oliuctton 

the  case  of  The  Pearl,  though  somewhat  more  rarely 
than  usual,  into  homely  phrase,  as  at  492,  850,  1085, 
1158.1 

Second  is  a  feeling  for  the  large,  sublime,  and  aus- 
tere aspects  of  nature,  such  as  high  cliffs,^  and  the 
darkened  tors  of  Cumberland  reverberating  with 
thunder  (875). ^ 

Third  is  the  moral  earnestness  of  the  poem.* 
Lastly,  a  somewhat  unexpected  concomitant  of  these 
traits  is  the  love  of  glittering  splendor  displayed  in 
bewildering  profusion,  such  as  the  gold,  silver,  crystal, 
color,  and  gems  of  the  Earthly  Paradise,  the  lavish  use 
of  pearls  everywhere,  and  the  emphasis  of  like  details 
in  the  picture  of  the  New  Jerusalem.^ 

^  Many  instances  occur  in  the  poet's  other  works.  A  some- 
what similar  tendency  to  homely  realism  is  found  at  Pur.  39-48; 
Pat.  99—108,  though  it  is  not  manifest  in  The  Pearly  except  possi- 
bly in  the  prevailing  distinctness  of  all  his  pictures.  It  appears  in 
The  Parlement  of  the  Thre  Ages  where  the  huntsman  is  slapping 
at  gnats  (50),  and  his  dogs  come  up  'all  dragild  for  doukyng  where 
dikes  bene'  (245).  Cf.  ahoAlex.  637-648;  and  the  fine  opening 
of  William  of  Palerne. 

^  Cf.  pp.  XV,  Ivi. 

'  Cf.  the  northwest  of  Wales  in  winter,  Gaiv.  726—762  ; 
the  passing  of  the  seasons,  498-530  ;  coming  of  winter,  Destr. 
Troy  12.  463-474;  deep  vales,  mountains,  morasses,  and  tors, 
Go/,  and  Gaiv.  29-33  ;  Alex.  4862-4865  ;  Morte  Arth.  882- 
883;  storms,  Pat.  137-162;  Destr.  Troy  1983-2020;  3688- 
3712;  12487-12531  ;  a  battle  in  the  rain,  Destr.  Troy  9636- 
9643;  a  ruin,  1 3448-1 3469. 

■'  Especially  manifest  in  Destr.  Troy:,  see  418—430,  729—747, 
1393-1405,   1422-1460,  etc. ;   the  poem  abounds  in  proverbs. 

^  Cf.  the  description  of  the  sacred  vessels,  Pur.  1441-1488  ;  of 
the  green  knight,    Gazu.  1 51-178;  of   Gawain,  ib.    566-618; 


31ntroDuctton  xxi 

Chaucer.     At    11.    429-431   the  poet  says  of  the 

Virgin  Mary : 

Now  for  synglerty  o  hyr  dousour, 
We  calle  hyr  Fenyx  of  Arraby, 
J>at  freles  fleje  of  hyr  fasor 
Lyk  to  jje  Quen  of  cortaysye. 

Strikingly  similar,  both  in  thought  and  cadence,  are 

the  lines  of  Chaucer  concerning  Blanche,  Book  of  the 

Duchess  981-984  : 

Trewely  she  was,  to  myn  ye, 
The  soleyn  fenix  of  Arabye, 
For  ther  liveth  never  but  con  ; 
Ne  swich  as  she  ne  knew  I  noon.^ 

Other  resemblances  lie  in  the  lament  with  which 
each  poem  opens,  the  poet's  grief  relieved  by  a  visita- 
tion of  sleep,  the  machinery  of  the  dream,  the  birds, 
the  meadow,  the  grove,  the  lady  among  her  fair  com- 
panions. Our  poet  represents  himself  playing  with  his 
pearl,  which  slips  through  his  fingers  and  is  lost  in  the 
grass,  or  is  stolen  by  ♦  wyrde '  (249,  273);  Chaucer's 
*  man  in  blalc '  speaks  more  conventionally  of  playing 
chess  with  fortune,  who  checkmated  him  by  taking 
away  his  *  fers,'  or  queen,  whom  now  he  mourns. 
The  bird-passage  in  the  dream  (304-3  20)  may  be  com- 

Arthur,  Morte  Arth.  902-913  ;  Fortune's  garden,  ib.  3237— 
3270;  the  temple,  Sege  of  Jer.  1245-1273  ;  a  city  of  India, 
Alex.  3664-3703;  the  palace  of  Candace,  5259-5290  ;  Roland, 
Rauf  Coiljear  454-479  ;  a  knight  and  a  lady,  Aivnt.  of  Arth. 
365-397;  a  pavilion,  Gol.  and  Gaiu.  312-319;  Troy,  Destr. 
Troy  1537-1688;  Hector's  tomb,  ib.  8738-8768;  8807-8825. 
*  In  comparing  these  passages  one  should  remember  how  rarely 
the  phcenix  is  mentioned  in  exactly  this  same  figurative  applica- 
tion in  mediaeval  poetry.    See  430  n. 


xxii  JflntroDuction 

pared  with  that  in  The  Pearl  (89-96),  especially  lines 

304-5  with  93-4;  314-16  with  91-2  ;   306-7  with 

95-6.^    Chaucer  does  not  tell  the  lady's  name  beyond 

saying 

And  gode  faire  Whyte  she  hete, 
That  was  my  lady  name  right. 

Similarly,  it  may  be  that  our  poet  has  hidden  under  the 
term  •  Pearl  '  the  name  of  her  he  mourns.  As  Mr. 
Gollancz  guesses,  it  may  have  been  Margaret,  or  more 
Hkely  Margery.^  Indeed,  this  interpretation  of  the 
name  Margaret  or  Margery  was  common  enough, 
especially  in  connection  with  St.  Margaret.' 

Whatever  the  resemblance  or  difference  in  detail, 
the  fact  remains  that  both  poets,  writing  under  the 
influence  of  the  same  school,  have  used  virtually  the 
same  external  device  to  the  same  poetic  end  —  an  elegy, 
and  that  too  in  a  manner  distinct  from  that  of  other 

*  Cf.  also  749,  and  n. 

'  Cf.  margarys,  1 99,  2o6,  1037.  This  word  for  pearl  is  not 
so  frequently  recorded  in  M.  E.  as  margarite.  See  N.  E.  D. 
s.  vv.  According  to  Test,  of  Love  3.  I,  margery-perles  is  an 
English,  and  margarite  a  foreign  term. 

^  Cf.  passage  from  the  Legenda  Aurea,  quoted  p.  xxxii ;  and 
esp.  the  following  Latin  hymns:  Mone  2.  400,  421  (12th  and 
13th  centuries;  Chevalier,  Repertorium)  :,  3.  410,  411  (14th 
cent. )  ;  Dreves,  Analecta  Hymnica  Medii  ^-vi,  Lit.  Hymnen  1 . 
196  ;  no.  363,  St.  4  ;  200,  no.  370,  St.  3  ;  3.  159,  no.  287,  st. 
6;  6.  230.  406,  St.  I  ;  Reimgebete  i.  221,  no.  20l,  St.  I  ;  222, 
no.  203,  St.  I  ;  6.  132,  St.  2  ;  133,  St.  3  ;  7.  295  j  Reimoffiaen 
3.  141,  Lauds,  Ad  Benedictus  ;  6.  280,  Lauds,  Antiph.,  st.  5; 
7.  25  ;  Prosen,  3.  244.  lob.  On  the  contemporary  use  of  such 
disguise  see  an  excellent  article  by  John  L.  Lowes  on  TAe  Pro- 
logue to  Chaucer^ s  Legend  of  Good  Women  (^Pub.  of  the  Mod. 
Lang.  Aiioc.   19.   593-683);   cf  infra,  p.  xxxiii,  n.   I. 


JflntroUuction  xxiii 

elegiac  poetry  of  the  time.  The  Pearl  is,  of  course,  at 
once  more  concise  and  more  abundant  tlian  the  Book  of 
the  Duchess.  It  is  the  product  of  more  skilful  composi- 
tion and  more  mature  art,  and  indeed  is  nobler  in  every 
way.  Yet  it  is  quite  possible  that  the  author  of  The 
Pearl,  having  recently  become  acquainted  with  Chau- 
cer's poem,  was  charmed  with  its  sweetness,  and  that 
its  influence  combined  with  that  of  two  other  poems 
in  some  respects  similar  to  it,  in  the  production  of 
The  Pearl. 

Boccaccio.  One  of  these  poems  is  the  fourteenth 
eclogue  of  Boccaccio,  in  290  lines,  written  probably 
in  1360.'  Its  resemblance  to  The  Pearl  was  first 
noticed  by  Dr.  E.  K.  Rand,'  and  was  demonstrated 
by  Professor  Schofield  in  the  Publications  of  the  Modern 
Language  Association  19.  203-215. 

The  style  of  the  poem  is  the  pastoral  style  of  Virgil, 
and  things  Christian  are  consistently  set  forth  in  the 
language  of  paganism.  Silvius  (Boccaccio),  an  old 
shepherd,  is  lying  in  his  hut  or  cave  near  the  hour 
of  dawn,  when  his  dog  indicates  the  approach  of  a 
stranger.  An  unearthly  light  plays  through  the  woods, 
driving  back  a  servant  who  has  been  sent  out  to  explore, 
and  seizing  like  flame  upon  the  hut,  yet  without  con- 
suming it.    Silvius  rushes  forth  in  terror,  and  discovers 

'  The  complete  text  with  commentary  may  be  found  in  Oskar 
Hecker's  Boccaccio-Funde,  1902,  pp.  78-92,  and  in  Carmine 
Illustrium  Poetarum  Italorum,  Florence,  1719,  2.  31 5;  and  a 
summary  with  quotations  in  Hortis,  Studj  sulle  Opere  Latine  del 
Boccaccio,  pp.  56-59.    Hecker  discusses  the  date,  pp.  79-84. 

■^  Schofield,  p.  204,  n.   i. 


xxiv  51ntroDuction 

unfamiliar  flowers  all  about,  while  strange  odors  and 
music  fill  the  air.  He  suspects  a  divine  presence. 
Olympia  appeals  to  him,  calls  him  father,  and  tries 
to  quiet  his  fears  and  console  him.  At  first  incredu- 
lous, he  soon  recognizes  her,  tells  how  he  lost  her  on 
the  way  to  Naples,  and  has  sought  her  throughout  the 
world.    He  asks  her  present  condition. 

Mirum,  quam  grandis  facta  diebus 
In  paucis  ;  matura  viro  michi,  nata,  videris  ! 

He  wonders  at  her  beauty,  and  she  explains  that  the 
Virgin  gave  it  her.  She  then  points  to  his  two  dear 
sons,  who  are  with  her.  In  his  delight  he  calls  for 
pastoral  games,  and  Olympia  sings  a  song  of  twenty 
lines  in  honor  of  Christ,  reviewing  his  descent  to  earth, 
his  life,  passion,  resurrection,  and  promise  of  judg- 
ment. The  refrain,  '  Vivimus  eternum  meritis  et  numine 
Codri'  (Christ),  opens  the  song,  and  recurs  every  fifth 
line.  Delighted,  Silvius  promises  her  and  the  boys 
a  reward,  but  she  says  her  present  condition  admits 
nothing  mortal.  He  promises  to  come  and  live  with 
her  in  pastoral  ease  and  content,  but  she  explains  that 
Heaven  is  now  her  fatherland,  and  that  he  must  die 
first.  She  bids  him  farewell,  but  he  detains  her  with 
an  outburst  of  grief,  and  she  consoles  him  with  a  de- 
scription of  the  heavenly  country  —  its  trees,  flowers, 
rivers,  birds,  animals,  its  sun,  moon,  and  stars, 
brighter  than  those  of  earth,  its  fair  weather  and  peace. 
There,  high  on  a  grassy  mound,  sits  the  shepherd 
Archesilas  (God  the  Father),  and  with  him  the  Lamb, 
on  whom  the  blessed  feed,  while  redeemed  souls, 
gathered  in  fourfold  chorus  about  him,  sing  his  praises 


3flntroDuction  xxv 

for  ever.  Olympia  then  describes  how  she  was  received 
into  Heaven  by  the  Virgin,  who  also  is  enthroned 
in  unspeakable  glory,  how  she  became  a  bride,  and 
how  she  and  her  companions,  ranging  through  flowery 
fields,  sing  ever  in  honor  of  Mary  and  her  Son.  And 
finally,  Olympia  shows  her  father  the  manner  of  life 
by  which  these  joys  are  to  be  attained,  and  leaves  him 
to  his  grief  just  as  the  dawn  breaks. 

As  in  the  case  of  the  Roman  de  la  Rose,  our  poet's 
indebtedness  to  Boccaccio  is  found  in  his  general 
method  of  treating  an  elegiac  theme,  and  perhaps  in  his 
actual  choice  of  theme,  rather  than  in  his  appropriation 
of  poetic  details  from  the  eclogue.  General  points  of 
resemblance  may  be  easily  discovered  in  the  summary 
just  given,  and  the  few  possible  cases  of  exact  verbal 
correspondence  will  appear  from  citations  in  the  notes. 
The  absence  of  the  mother  in  both  poems  has  prompted 
like  conjecture  in  both  cases  —  that  she  was  either 
unfaithfijl  or  dead.^  Chronological  facts  seem  to  show 
that  Violante's  maturity  in  the  vision  is  not  that  which 
she  would  have  attained  at  the  time  of  the  vision 
had  she  lived,  but  merely  a  concession  for  the  sake  of 
verisimilitude  in  the  dialogue.^  The  case  may  have 
been  similar  in  The  Pearl.  Or  very  likely  the  reason 
in  both  cases  may  have  been  theological.^ 

*  Hecker,  p.  79.     Gollancz,  pp.  xlvii,  xlviii  n.  3. 

^  Hecker,  p.  82,  n.    2. 

'  Augustine  says:  '  Quid  ergo  de  infantibus  dicturi  sumus,  nisi 
quia  non  in  ea  resurrecturi  sunt  corporis  exiguitate,  qua  mortui  ;  sed 
quod  eis  tardius  accessurum  erat  tempore,  hoc  sunt  illo  Dei  opere 
miro  atque   celerrimo    recepturi  '    (De    Ci'v.    Dei  22.    14,  Patr. 


xxvi  ^Introduction 

Dante.  It  seems  almost  certain  that  our  poet  had, 
in  his  wide  acquaintance  with  literature,  come  to  know 
the  greatest  poetic  achievement  of  his  period  —  the 
Divine  Comedy.  Indeed  The  Pearl  much  more  nearly 
resembles  certain  parts  of  this  poem  than  it  does  the 
Fita  Nuova,  which  has  been  more  than  once  cited  as  a 
closer  analogy.*  Both  The  Pearl  and  the  Divine 
Comedy  are  visions  of  a  loved  one  departed,  appearing 
first  in  the  Earthly,  and  then  in  the  Heavenly  Paradise. 
In  both  descriptions  of  the  Earthly  Paradise  there 
are  the  forest,  the  trembling  leaves,  the  fruits,  the 
wandering  poet,  the  river,  the  vision  of  a  lady  just 
beyond  the  stream.^  In  both  poems  the  poet,  from  the 
hither  side  of  the  stream,  talks  with  the  departed  maiden 
on  the  farther  side.  In  both  the  poet  is  rebuked  for 
spiritual  weakness  and  dulness.  In  Beatrice  and  in  the 
Pearl  there  is  the  same  apparent  lack  ot  tenderness,  — 
the  same  pietade  acerba  —  so  surprising  to  a  modern,  in 
their  spiritual  ministrations.  In  both  cases  the  lady  in- 
tercedes with  God  that  the  poet  may  be  allowed  to  be- 
hold Paradise,  descends  from  her  proper  place  to  meet 

Lat.  41.  776)  ;  and  in  Cap.  15  :  '  Restat  ergo,  ut  suam  recipiat 
quisque  mensuram,  quam  vel  habuit  in  juventute,  .  .  .  vel  fuerat 
habiturus,  si  est  ante  defunctus.  ...  In  ejus  aetate  et  robore 
[resurgent]  usque  ad  quam  Christum  hie  pervenisse  cognovimus." 
In  Cap.  19  he  is  of  their  mind  '  qui  utrumque  sexum  resurrecturum 
esse  non  dubitant.' 

*   Courthope,  Hi%t.  of  English  Poetry  1.  350;   Schofield,  p.  116. 

'  Cf.  Purg.  28.  1-5  with  Pearl  75,  76,  98-107  ;  Purg.  28. 
10  with  P.  77-80;  Purg.  z8.  118-120  with  P.  87-88  ;  Ptirg. 
28.  34  fF.  with  P.  155-162.  It  is,  however,  conceivable  that  the 
author  of  The  Pearl  may  have  derived  certain  descriptive  details 
from  general  traditions  of  Romance  and  of  the  Earthly  Paradise. 


31ntro!3uction  xxvii 

the  poet  in  the  Earthly  Paradise,    and  conducts  him 
through  the  experience  of  his  vision.    Both  women,  after 
leaving  the  poets,  are  seen  by  them  in  their  beatified  state, 
though  in  one  case  the  poet  was  not,  doubtless  through 
a   sense  of  his   own  unworthiness,    allowed   to   enter 
Heaven,    Both  poems  begin  at  the  point  in  the  poets' 
hves  of  lowest  spiritual  ebb  and  weakest  faith.    In  both 
poems  personifications  of  abstract  or  inanimate  things,  so 
common  in  medieval  allegory,  are  conspicuously  absent. 
In  the  construction  of  both  poems  there  is  a  like  artificial 
symmetry  and  regularity.    To    Dante's  one  hundred 
cantos,  the  perfect  number,  correspond  the  one  hun- 
dred stanzas  of  The  Pearl.  ^    In  the  linking  of  stanzas 
there  is  continuity  similar  to  that  of  the  terze  rime.    It 
seems  hardly  likely  that,  near  the  end  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  a  man  o'i  liberal  education,   schooled  in  the 
poetic  art  of  contemporary  French  poetry,    familiar 
with  at  least  one  poem  of  Boccaccio,  should  not  have 
met    with     the    Divine    Comedy."^      Of  the    author's 
indebtedness  to  other  literature,    such  as    the  French 
Matideville,^    the     Fathers,^     and    Langland's    Piers 
1  See  p.  xlvi  and  n.  i . 

'  Of  no  little  significance  in  this  matter  is  Boccaccio's  connec- 
tion with  Dante  as  commentator,  lecturer,  biographer,  and  imitator. 
See  A.  Dobelli,  Giornale  Dante sco  5  (new  series  2),  pp.  241- 
243  for  many  details  in  the  eclogue  supposed  to  be  derived  from 
the  Di-vine  Comedy.  In  this  case  our  poet's  knowledge  of  the  less 
almost  certainly  implies  his  knowledge  of  the  greater  poet. 
^  See  p.  xi. 

*  See  O.  F.  Emerson,  A  Parallel  betiueen  Patience  and  an  Early 
Latin  Poem  attributed  to  Tertullian,  Pub.  of  the  Mod.  Lang. 
Association  10.  242-248.  See  also  notes  on  11.  596,  653,  675, 
689,  735  etc. 


xxviii  31ntrot)uction 

Plowman,^  slight  trace  appears  in  The  Pearl.  Con- 
spicuously absent  is  any  sign  of  interest  in  classical  lore, 
with  which  our  poet,  in  his  reading,  could  not  escape 
some  acquaintance.^ 

Literary  Motives  and  Genre 

The  variety  of  elements  and  motives  brought  together 
in  The  Pearl  h,  equally  characteristic  of  Chaucer  and 
other  poets  of  his  time,  and  a  natural  accompaniment 
of  the  complete  fruition  of  medievalism.  Analysis  of 
many  a  contemporary  poem  shows  it  to  be  a  hybrid 
of  various  species  of  poetical  composition,  each  of  which 
in  earlier  times  had  independent  origin,  and  was  for 
a  long  time  kept  distinct  from  the  rest.  Often  mingled 
with  these  are  fragments  from  the  classics.  Thus,  in 
The  Pearl,  though  classical  tradition  is  ignored,  there 
are  blended  allegory,  the  vision-motive,  the  ideals  and 
style  of  chivalry,  theology,  homily,  and  debate,  and  all 
these  elements  are  combined  to  subserve  the  main  ele- 
giac subject,  and  wrought  into  an  essentially  lyric  form. 

Elegy.  The  poem  is  first  of  all,  I  believe,  an 
elegy,  and  has  until  recently  been  accepted  as  such. 
But  in  an  elaborate  and  ingenious  argument  Professor 


'  See  Thomas,  pp.  26-32,  for  evidence  that  the  poet  may 
have  been  influenced  by  Langland  in  composing  Purity. 

-  Cf.  Pat.  1 65  ff.  A  contempt  for  classic  myth  is  shown  in 
The  Destruction  of  Troy,  and  in  the  Legend  of  Erkenivald,  which 
is  believed  by  some  to  have  been  his.  See  p.  xxxiii  for  a  slight  indi- 
cation of  his  having  used  the  Legenda  Aurea. 


^Introduction  xxix 

Schofield  has  maintained  that  it  is  not  autobiographical, 
but  allegorical,  with  a  theological  digression,  cast  in 
elegiac  form  ;  that  it  mourns  no  loss,  but  is  merely 
intended  to  illustrate  the  beauty  of  purity  under  the 
symbolism  of  a  pearl,  and  in  the  guise  of  a  personi- 
fication.^ There  is  room  here  for  only  a  brief  pre- 
sentation of  arguments. 

I.  If  we  accept  the  view  that  the  poet  was  an 
ecclesiastic,  'being  a  priest,  he  would  not,'  says  Pro- 
fessor Schofield,  ♦  go  deliberately  out  of  his  way  to 
call  people's  attention  to  his  child  of  shame,  and  then 
without  apology  proceed  to  exalt  above  all  else  purity 
of  life.'  The  reasons  for  thinking  that  the  poet  was 
not  an  ecclesiastic,  certainly  not  a  priest,  are  given 
elsewhere.^  But  in  any  case  the  possibility  is  ignored 
by  Professor  Schofield  that,  having  spent  a  part  of  his 
life  as  a  married  layman,  he  may,  in  later  grief  and 
solitude,  have  entered  the  religious  life.  Furthermore, 
the  impassioned  manner  in  which  he  treats  theological 
questions  is  more  characteristic  of  deep  emotional  ex- 
perience than  of  interest  in  theological  questions  for 
their  own  sake.' 

II.  If  the  poem  were  an  elegy,  and  the  Pearl 
represented  one  whom  the  poet  knew  on  earth,  '  he 
would  have  been  able  to  paint  of  her  an  unforgettable 
portrait' ;  he  *  could  not  have  failed  to  recall  her  in 
actuality,  to  have  indicated  some  feature  of  her  per- 
sonal   experience,  to  have  noted  some  incident  con- 

1  Pub.  Mod.  Lang.  Association  19.  154-203. 

2  Pp.  1  ff. 

3  See  pp.  xxxviii  ff. 


XXX  31ntrotiuction 

nected  with  her  birth  or  death,  to  have  given  some 
hint  of  the  circumstances  of  their  association.'  As  to 
the  portrait,  it  should  be  observed  that  none  more 
distinct  than  that  of  the  Pearl  is  found  in  the 
analogous  works  of  Dante,  Chaucer,  or  Boccaccio, 
already  cited.  But  the  most  striking  example  in  this 
connection  of  conventional  medieval  portraiture  —  and 
one  in  the  very  school  of  The  Pearl — is  Watriquet's 
Dis  de  la  Feste  du  Conte  de  Flandre  (^Dits,  ed. 
Scheler,  pp.  329  fF. ),  wherein  the  poet  describes  a 
number  of  contemporary  ladies,  but  in  conventional 
terms  which  individualize  even  less  than  those  in  The 
Pearl.  Watriquet  evidently  expected  no  unfavorable 
comparison  of  his  alleged  portraits  with  the  originals. 
The  difficulty  of  exact  portraiture  in  The  Pearl  is 
increased  by  the  fact  that  the  maiden  died  at  the  age 
of  two,  and  appeared  to  the  poet  in  maturity,  further 
changed,  like  Beatrice,  by  the  glory  of  her  blessed  con- 
dition. As  to  the  mention  of  incidents  and  circumstances 
of  association,  these  too  are  wanting  in  Chaucer  and 
Dante,  and  are  insignificant  in  Boccaccio.  It  is  also 
alleged  that  the  Pearl's  attitude  shows  no  filial  ten- 
derness, that  '  the  poem  reveals  no  parental  or  filial 
emotion,  betrays  no  personal  love.'  Neither  does 
Beatrice  at  first  return  aught  but  rebuke  for  Dante's 
forgetfulness  and  dulness  in  spiritual  things,  and,  while 
his  pride,  impatience,  and  presumption  remain,  her 
bearing  is  austere.  As  he  acquires  patience  her  ten- 
derness appears,  but  in  The  Pearl  such  occasion  for 
tenderness  does  not  come  until  the  poet  has,  by  his 
impatient  presumption,  been  separated  from  the  maiden. 


iflntroDuction  xxxi 

As  implied  in  stanza  loo,  had  it  not  been  for  this 
failing  of  his,  her  tenderness  might  have  become 
more  manifest  ;  it  has  already  been  forecast  in  lines 
397-407,  in  her  intercession  with  God,  and  in  her 
readiness  to  be  the  poet's  guide.  As  to  deep  tender- 
ness on  the  poet's  part,  what  doubt  can  remain  as  one 
reads  lines  282-288,  or  325-336  ?  ^  Add  to  these  the 
personal  remark  of  the  poet  at  line  233  that  the  maiden 
*  watj  me  nerre  J'en  aunte  or  nece  ?'  This  and  other 
personal  allusions  in  the  poem  ^  admit  of  no  allegorical 
interpretation,  and  could  only  obscure  and  obstruct  the 
poet's  intention,  had  he  been  writing  allegory. 

III.  The  remaining  argument  consists  in  a  discussion 
of  the  mediaeval  symbolism  of  the  pearl,  the  mediseval 
conception  of  maidenly  purity,  and  medieval  allegori- 
cal machinery,  so  far  as  these  several  matters  point  to 
the  allegorical  nature  of  The  Pearl. 

It  will  be  found,  however,  that  neither  in  the 
lapidaries  nor  elsewhere  is  the  pearl  traditmially 
the  symbol  of  *  clean  maidenhood. '  So  great  is  the 
variety  of  interpretations  that  the  poet  could  not 
expect  his  readers  to  select  from  them  the  allegori- 
cal meaning  imposed  upon  The  Pearl  by  Professor 
Schofield,  without  some  explicit  indication  which  he 
has  not  given.  There  are,  on  the  one  hand,  the  many 
significations  given  in  the  note  on  line  735.  On 
the  other  hand  is  a  group  of  significations  ignored  by 
Professor  Schofield,  though  indeed  they  might  be  made 

'  Other  passages  of  like  import  are    373-384;    1147-1152; 
I185-11885   cf.   I  13-124;    160-192;   901-912. 
2  LI.  1-60  ;   373-380  ;   743- 


xxxii  3IntroDuftion 

to  lend  as  much  support  to  his  theory  as  any  which 
he  has  cited.  They  are  found  in  the  prologue  to 
the  life  of  St.  Margaret  in  the  Legenda  Aurea  (ed. 
Graesse,  1846,  cap.  93  (88).  pp.  400  fF. ),  as  follows  : 
'  Margareta  dicitur  a  quadam  pretiosa  gemma,  quae 
margarita  vocatur  ;  quae  gemma  est  Candida,  parva,  et 
virtuosa.^  Sic  beata  Margareta  fuit  Candida  per  vir- 
ginitatem,  parva  per  humilitatem,  virtuosa  per  miraculo- 
rum  operationem.  Virtus  autem  hujus  lapidis  dicitur  esse 
contra  efFusionem,  contra  cordis  passionem  et  ad  spiritus 
confortationem.'  Three  of  the  eight  English  lives  of 
St.  Margaret  paraphrase  this  prologue,  namely,  those 
by  Lydgate,  a  pseudo-Barbour,  and  Bokenam.^  They 
are,  of  course,  all  later  than  The  Pearl,  though 
they  indicate,  if  indication  were  needed,  common 
English  familiarity  with  the  Legenda  Aurea. ^  The 
passage  cited  is  proof  sufficient  that  virginity  is  only 
one  of  many  interpretations  of  the  pearl,  and  that  it 
could  never  have  been  assumed  by  the  poet  to  be  the 
obvious,  traditional  one.* 


^  See  note  on  1.  5. 

^  Horstmann,  18  81,  pp.  446  fF.  ;  Barbour's  LegenJensamml. 
2.  p.  3  ff.  (also  Metcalfe,  Legends  of  the  Saints,  Scott.  Text  Soc. 
2.  47);  Bokenam's  Heiligenlegenden,  ed.  Horstmann,  pp.  7  ff. 
{Alteng.  Bibliothek). 

'  For  the  popularity  of  St.  Margaret  in  England  from  the  sev- 
enth to  the  sixteenth  century  see  E.  Krahl,  Untersuchungen  uber 
Vier  Versionen  der  Mittelenglischen  Margaretenlegende,  Berlin, 
1889  ;   the  BoUandist  Acta  Sanctorum  32.  26.  D,  F. 

*  Bonaventura,  in  his  Diata  Salutis  4.  4  {De  Castitate), 
analyzes  various  symbols  of  chastity  at  length,  but  never  once 
alludes  to  the  pearl. 


31ntroDuctton  xxxiii 

Familiarity  with  this  passage,  however,  may  be  faintly 
reflected  in  the  word  '  smal '  (6,  190),  and  perhaps 
in  369  ;  but  the  allusion  probably  came  from  another 
cause  than  the  intention  of  writing  allegory.  It  is 
explicable  on  the  consideration  that  the  child's  name 
was  Margaret  or  Margery,^  and  that  the  poet's  mind, 
dwelling  upon  her  name,  reverted  naturally  to  the  saint 
whose  name  she  bore.  This  explains,  first,  the  em- 
phasis of  her  virginity  and  espousal  to  Christ,  both 
of  which  are  prominent  in  the  liturgy  and  the  hym- 
nology  employed  in  honor  of  the  saint.  ^  But  it  explains 
further,  in  all  probability,  how  the  poet  came  to  make 
use  of  the  pearl  as  a  disguise  and  an  embellishment. 
With  the  saint's  name  once  in  mind,  the  frequent 
association  of  her  name  with  the  margarite  or  pearl 
would  present  itself  to  him  immediately;  and  to  one  not 
only  whose  imagination  so  reveled  in  radiant  loveliness, 
but  who  was  obviously  familiar  with  similar  practices 
among  contemporary  poets,  the  use  which  he  actually 
has  made  of  the  pearl  was  all  but  inevitable.^  It  is 
maintained  that  the  maiden  in  The  Pearl  is  simply  a 
personification  of  virginity  presenting  herself  to  the  poet 

'  See  also  p.  xxii. 

^  See  Gueranger,  U  Annie  Liturgique,  July  20  j  Mone,  Hymni 
Latini  Medii  M-vi  2.  307,  490,  42 1  ;  3.  410,  41 1.  Dreves, 
Anahcta  Hymntca  (indexes  s.  v.  Margareta'). 

3  The  same  transfer  of  association  occurs  in  connection  with 
the  name  of  Queen  Margaret  in  Lindsay's  Testament  of  the  Papyngo 
547  ;  and  in  Dunbar,  Gladeth  thou  Siueyne,  Poems,  ed.  Small, 
Scott.  Text  Soc.  2.  274,  11.  33-40,  The  Thistle  and  the  Rose,  ih.  2. 
188,1.  180.  Other  saints'  names,  such  as  Clara,  Agnes,  Columba, 
Caecilia,  were  not  infrequently  etymologized. 


xxxiv  31ntroDuctton 

as  does  Philosophy  to  Boethius,  Holy  Church  to  Lang- 
land,  Nature  to  Alain  de  Lille,  or  such  a  personifica- 
tion as  Franchise,  Beauty,  and  Riches  in  the  Roman 
de  la  Rose.^  But  in  each  of  these  cases  not  only  are 
we  told  expressly  what  abstraction  the  personification 
represents,  but  the  symbolism  of  each  detail  is  made 
unmistakable.  It  is  otherwise  in  The  Pearl.  If  the 
poem  is  allegorical,  then,  contrary  to  the  rule  of  medi- 
zeval  allegory,  the  interpretation  is  nowhere  given,  or 
even  suggested,  by  the  poet.  On  the  other  hand,  it  is 
obscured  by  many  details  whose  symbolism  is  impercep- 
tible, or  whose  allegorical  interpretation  is  impossible. 
We  are  told  that  we  may  not  believe  that  the  Pearl  is 
the  poet's  daughter,  because  he  does  not  say  so. ^  How, 
then,  may  we  accept  as  allegory  what  is  obviously  an 
elegy,  if  the  poet  never  even  hints  it  to  be  allegory?  As 
to  analogies,  the  elegiac  poems  o1  Chaucer,  Dante,  and 
Boccaccio  are  as  convincing  as  the  more  remote  alle- 
gorical ones  cited.  What  a  poet  does  not  reveal  in  elegy 
should  surprise  nobody.  Elegy  is  generally  reticent, 
and  especially  so  in  the  utterance  of  grief  and  struggle 
of  so  private  a  nature  as  that  intimated  in  The  Pearl. 

Considering  the  poet's  works  as  a  whole  it  is  clear 
that  he  is  not  only  no  allegorist,  but  that  he  rather 
tends  to  avoid  symbolism,  even  when  it  lies  in  his 
way.  This  appears  not  only  in  his  adaptation  of  the 
Apocalypse,  but  in  every  other  extended  paraphrase  of 

1  See  Boethius,  De  Consolatione  Phtlosophite,  Prosa  3  fF.  ; 
Langland,  Piers  PL  Pass  I,  11.  3  ff.  ;  Alain  de  Lille,  De  Planctu 
Natura  [Patr.  Lat.  210.    431-482). 

2  Pp.    158-162. 


31ntroDuction  xxxv 

the  Bible  in  his  works.  ^  If  he  makes  any  use  of  sym- 
bolism, it  is,  as  a  rule,  explained  with  the  utmost  care. 
Instances  are  the  explanation  of  the  pillar  of  salt  into 
which  Lot's  wife  was  transformed.  Pur.  994-999  ;  the 
explanation  of  the  pentangle,  Gazv.  620—670  ;  and 
P^^r/ 733-741.  It  is  significant  that  Pur.  553-556 
and  1067— 1068,  instead  of  being  symbolical,  are  kept 
on  the  lower  level  of  mere  simile.  On  the  other 
hand,  an  instance  like  that  of  Pearl  733—741  is 
vague  and  imperfect.^ 

Allegory.  But  though  The  Pearl  i?,  not  primarily  an 
allegory,  it  contains  certain  allegorical  elements  which 
may  now  be  defined. 

First  and  most  obvious  is  the  figure  of  the  pearl 
lost  in  the  grass,  which,  however,  rapidly  fades  into  a 
more  literal  manner  of  speaking,  and,  except  for  occa- 
sional epithets,  has  quite  disappeared  within  the  first 
three  hundred  lines. 

Secondly,  once  having  associated  the  maiden  with 
the  gem  through  their  common  name,  it  is  natural  that 
even  a  poet  who  had  no  preference  for  allegory 
should  come  to  feel  some  correspondence  between  the 
qualities  of  both  which  would  impart,  now  and  then, 
a  certain  allegorical  cast  to  his  work.  Thus  the  pearl, 
which  is  used  so  lavishly  in  the  poem  as  an  embel- 
lishment, gathers  a  kind  of  latent  symbolism  from 
the  qualities  of  her  for  whom  it  stands  and  with 
whom  it  is  associated,  and  for  the  time  being  becomes 
a    shining    emblem    of    her    virtues.       But    any    such 

'  See  p.  xviii ;  cf.  also  top  of  p.  xvi,  and  p.  xxvii. 
2  Cf.    735  n.,  2  n.,  10  n.,  207-276,  and  n.  on  272. 


xxxvi  ^Introduction 

emblematic  result  was  perhaps  reached  unconsciously, 
or  at  any  rate  did  not  constitute  an  important  part  of 
the  poet's  original  design.  Perhaps  it  is  one  indication 
of  the  influence  of  the  Golden  Legend,^  or  perhaps  it 
is  prompted  by  the  poet's  familiarity  with  one  sort  of 
French  dit,  wherein  an  author  selects  an  object, 
whether  animate  or  inanimate,  and,  by  analogy  with 
its  various  qualities  or  uses  as  perceived  by  himself, 
sets  forth  his  own  ideas  upon  some  subject,  often  of 
moral  or  religious  nature.  Such,  for  example,  is  the 
Conte  dou  Mantel  of  Baudouin  de  Conde,  in  which 
the  knight's  mantle  of  ermine  is  interpreted  as  a  sym- 
bol of  his  proper  virtues.  The  mande  is  the  work  of 
no  mean  hand,  and  the  knight  is  the  son  of  a  noble 
father.  It  is  a  mande  of  strength  and  durability  ;  as  it 
is  spotless,  so  is  the  knight,  and  as  it  surpasses  all  other 
garments,  so  the  knight's  life  surpasses  all  others.^ 

Lastly,  The  Pearl  may  be  considered  allegorical, 
somewhat  as  Dante's  pilgrimage  or  Sartor  Resartus 
is,  in  certain  aspects,  allegorical.  Under  the  concrete 
and  at  least  partly  imaginary  form  of  the  dream  lies 
a  serious,  almost  prosaic,  experience,  familiar  to  all  men 
of  high  spiritual  aspiration.  In  early  or  middle  life 
they  often  seem  to  themselves  to  have  achieved  real 
wisdom,  and  to  have  laid  hold  upon  the  truth.    But 

'  See  pp.  xxxii  f, ,  and  1.  5  and  n. 

^  CEu-vres  de  Baudouin  et  yean  de  Conde,  ed.  Scheler,  i.  79  ; 
for  other  examples  see  I.  I,  17,  31,  63,  133,  233,  372;  2. 
49.  57.  85,  91,  107,  113,  141,  151,  163,  259,  326  ;  3.  123, 
145,  211,  305,  313,  321.  Similar  in  character  are  the  works  of 
the  Franciscan  Nicole  Bozon,  who  flourished  about  1300— 1320. 
See  Grober's  Grundriss  2.  856. 


3flntroDuction  xxxvii 

a  sudden  shift  of  fortune,  or  stroke  of  grief,  destroys 
both  faith  and  creed.  Then  comes  the  bitter  and 
violent  reaction,  succeeded  by  indifFerentism  ;  but  by 
slow  degrees  the  ugly  visitation  becomes  transformed 
and  idealized,  until  it  is  the  means  of  entering  a  new 
life  of  true  wisdom  and  peace.  This  is  the  experience 
figured  in  The  Pearl.  There  is  further  something 
almost  allegorical  in  the  highly  idealized  character  and 
condition  of  the  Pearl,  as  in  that  of  Beatrice,  revealing 
in  concrete  form  the  glory  of  those  who  have  exchanged 
all  for  the  pearl  of  great  price. 

Vision.  In  addition  to  its  elegiac  and  allegorical 
character.  The  Pearl  treats  also  the  popular  mediaeval 
theme  of  the  vision  of  the  other  world.  Many  a  homily 
closes  with  the  traditional  vivid  contrast  of  the  pains  of 
Hell  with  the  joys  of  Heaven.^  In  the  vision  of  the 
Earthly  Paradise,   61-972,   are  employed  few  tradi- 

'  The  theme  appears  frequently  in  all  mediaeval  Christian  liter- 
ature. The  earliest  versions  on  English  soil  are  recorded  in  Bede's 
Ecclesiastical  History.  See  E.  J.  Becker,  A  Contribution  to  the 
Comparati-ve  Study  of  the  Media-val  f^isions  of  Hea-ven  and  Hell, 
•with  Special  Reference  to  the  Middle  English  Versions,  Baltimore, 
1899  J  Triggs'  Lydgate's  Assembly  of  Gods,  E.  E.  T.  S.  Extr. 
Ser.  69,  pp.  Iv,  Ivi.  Other  studies  of  orientation  are  C.  Labitte, 
La  Di-vine  Comidie  a-vant  Dante,  Re-vue  des  Deux  Mondes,  1842, 
p.  704  ;  T.  Wright,  St.  Patrick's  Purgatory,  London,  1844  ; 
F.  Ozanam,  Des  Sources  Poetiques  de  la  Di-vine  Comedie,  (Ewvres, 
5th  edition,  1872,  5.  399  ff .  ;  C.  Fritsche,  Die  Lateinischen 
Visionen  des  Mittelalters  bis  zur  Mitte  des  Xllten  jfahrhunderts, 
Romanische  Forschungen  2.  247-279  5  3.  337  fF.  ;  E.  Coli,  // 
Paradiso  Terrestre,  Florence,  1 897;  Graf,//  Mi  to  del  Paradiso 
Terrestre,  in  Mitt,  Legende,  e  Superstition!  de  Medio  E-vo,  Turin, 
1892. 


xxxviii  31ntroDuction 

tional  details  peculiar  to  that  garden :  ^  there  is  no  dis- 
tinct allusion  to  the  four  rivers,  and  the  garden  is  not 
located  upon  a  mountain.^  The  description  of  the 
Heavenly  Paradise  appears  to  be  unique.  The  poet 
follows  a  river  to  a  hill  near  its  source  for  his  vision  of 
Heaven.  Being  drawn  from  the  Bible  alone,  this 
description  is  not  only  not  symbolic,  but  it  omits  such 
accessories  as  those  of  fair  weather  and  vernal  land- 
scape, which  usually  occur  in  this  connection.^ 

Homily.  Mingled  with  these  imaginative  ele- 
ments are  two  of  more  prosaic  nature  —  the  homiletic 
and  the  theological.  The  passage  257—360^15  essen- 
tially a  sermon  in  dialogue  on  the  folly  of  questioning 
or  resisting  the  ways  of  God  —  the  theme  of  Patience  ; 
and  there  is  an  implied  recommendation  of  the  virtue 
of  moral  purity  in  many  passages.^  Furthermore, 
fragments  of  homiletic  nature  are  interpolated  at  times, 
such  as  that  on  the  dying  of  the  seed,  31,  32  ;  on 
fortune,  129— 132;  on  the  pearl  of  price,  721—744; 
and  the  theological  discussion,  421—720,  assumes  at 
times  the  tone  of  persuasion. 

Theology.  It  is  clear  at  a  glance  that  certain  theo- 
logical teachings  of  the  poem  are  at  variance  with  the 

'  See  pp.  xiv  f. 

2  Unless  this  is  hinted  in  6 1  and  66  :  '  Fro  spot  my  spyryt  )>er 
sprang  in  space  ...  1  knew  me  keste  \>er  klyfej  cleuen.' 

3  Cf.  Phoenix  1-84;  Christ  1634-1693  ;  RoUe,  Pricke  of  Con- 
science 7814—7824. 

*  See  also  1189-1204. 

5  Not  in  the  mere  sense  of  '  clean  maidenhood,'  as  the  poem 
Purity  shows,  but  purity  from  taint  of  every  sin,  i.  e.  perfect 
innocence  or  righteousness. 


31ntrotiuctton  xxxix 

prescribed  teaching  of  the  Church.  This  divergence 
has  been  skilfully  defined  in  an  analysis  of  the  poet's 
theology  by  Dr.  Carleton  F.  Brown  in  the  article 
already  mentioned/  whose  conclusions  may  be  brieiiy 
summarized.  Two  theological  questions  were  uppermost 
in  the  fourteenth  century  :  (  I  )  predestination  and  free- 
will ;  (2)  whether  men  are  saved  by  grace  of  God,  or 
by  their  own  merits.  Tendencies  were  strong  in  the  di- 
rection of  the  Pelagian  heresy  of  absolute  free-will  and 
salvation  by  merit,  and  these  were  combated  on  English 
soil  by  Thomas  Bradwardine  in  his  De  Causa  Dei  contra 
Pelagium.  Now,  on  both  these  points  our  poet  is  not 
only  conservative  and  orthodox,  but  enthusiastically  so, 
as  is  implied  in  the  one  case  by  his  repeated  reiteration 
of  the  necessity  of  submitting  to  God,  in  the  other  by 
lines  421—720  of  The  Pearl.  But  in  the  one  particu- 
lar of  urging  that  the  joy  and  reward  of  all  the  redeemed 
are  equal  he  is  heretical,  since  the  Church  teaches  that 
they  are  not  equal,  but  graded.  This  heresy  was  the 
heresy  of  Jovinian.^  In  our  poet  it  indicates  an  '  evan- 
gelical '  tendency  which  accompanied  the  fourteenth 
century  reaction  against  scholasticism,  and  looked  toward 
Wyclif  But  he  was  in  no  sense  a  schismatic.  Here, 
then,  we  have  one  detail  of  heresy  in  a  man  who,  in  all 
other  known  respects,  was  enthusiastically  and  loyally 
orthodox.  In  this  fact  lies,  I  believe,  a  further  indica- 
tion of  the  elegiac  character  of  the  poem.    The  belief 

1  Cf.  Bibliography,  §  vi. 

'  Jerome,  Contra  yo-vintanum,  Patr.  hat.  23.  222-35 1; 
like  the  poet,  Jovinian  supported  his  belief  by  the  parable  of  the 
vineyard. 


xl  ;3IntroDuction 

in  the  equality  of  heavenly  rewards  is  certainly  at  vari- 
ance with  the  poet's  social  ideas.'  It  seems,  further- 
more, to  have  been  of  acquisition  more  recent  than  the 
composition  of  Purity,  for  the  orthodox  view  is  there 
clearly  implied.^  The  poet's  nature  as  revealed  in  his 
works  shows  not  only  no  readiness  for  theological  or 
ecclesiastical  controversy,  but  something  approaching 
abhorrence  of  it.^  Now  an  isolated  bit  of  heresy,  at 
variance  with  the  tendency  of  his  convictions  concern- 
ing society,  marking  a  more  or  less  sudden  change  in  his 
creed,  being  but  a  fragment,  and  not  part  of  any  system 
of  heresy  adopted  by  him,  confessed  by  one  whose 
interest  in  systematic  theology  for  its  own  sake  is  small 

—  such  heresy  seems  naturally  not  to  have  been 
achieved  by  reason,  but  is  the  reflex  of  violent  emo- 
tional experience.  Furthermore,  the  manner  in  which 
it  is  set  forth  is  highly  impassioned  and  personal,  and 
not  in  the  tone  of  the  reasoning,  systematic  theologian. 
And  the  opinion  is  exactly  that  to  be  expected  of  one 
afflicted  as  was  the  poet.  For,  as  he  implies,  reason  and 
the  condition  of  humanity  at  large  convince  anybody 
that  the  rewards  of  heaven  must  be  unequal  ;  but  let  a 
man  suffer  the  loss  of  the  one  least  dispensable  to  him 

—  can  he  then  bear  to  think  that  the  fullest  rewards  of 
heaven  are  not  in  store  for  that  one,  or  that  at  reunion 
their  joys  shall  be  unequal,  and  their  sympathy  imper- 
fect ?  Under  stress  of  emotion  he  is  forced  into  the 
other  view,  and  our  poet,  conscious  of  his  slight  decline 
from  orthodoxy,  seems  to  be  trying  to  justify  himself  in 

*  See  p    liii.  ^   Lines  1 13-124.  '  See  pp.  li,  liii,  liv. 


31ntroDuction  xH 

it  by  connecting  it  closely  with  the  orthodox  teaching 
concerning  grace. 

Debate.  An  argumentative  discussion,  however  im- 
passioned, may  seem  to  a  student  of  modern  poetry 
quite  foreign  to  the  legitimate  intention  of  a  poet. 
But  to  a  mediaeval  reader  the  theological  element  in 
The  Pearl,  instead  of  being  intrusive,  would  be  recog- 
nized as  a  familiar  poetic  form,  namely,  the  debate  or 
dispute.  In  English  the  poetic  use  of  debate  was  less 
common  than  in  Provencal  and  French,  whence  it 
was  derived,'  and  it  was  limited  chiefly  to  didac- 
tic purposes.  Some  of  the  more  familiar  examples  are 
the  Debate  between  the  Body  and  the  Soul,"^  The  Owl 
and  the  Nightingale,  The  Dispute  between  Mary  and 
the  Cross? 

Chivalry.  Secular  elements  in  The  Pearl,  such 
as  are  derived  from  its  alliance  with  Romance  poetry, 
have  already  been  discussed.^  Yet  beneath  the  definite 
external  marks  of  this  influence,  the  larger  and  subtler 
influence  of  chivalry  pervades  the  work.  It  appears 
first  in  the  poet's  insistence  upon  the  social  distinc- 
tions of  chivalry  (393,  394;  489-492  ;  762—765  ; 
774-780;  cf.  Purity  35-48;  109-124);  and 
upon    knightly   virtues,    such   as   largess   and    franchise 

*  See  Knobloch,  Die  Streitgedichte  im  Prov.  und  Altfran%,, 
Breslau,  1886. 

^  Boddeker,  pp.  233  ff. ;  Linow,  Erlanger  Eeitrdge  I.  The 
O.  E.  versions  were  in  a  different  form  (Boddeker,  p.  233). 

'  E.  E.  T.  S.  131.  197  ;  cf.  117.  6ia  ;  also  a  Dispute  be- 
fween  a  Christian  and  a  Jew,  Horstmann,  1878,  pp.  109—112, 
204.    On  this  element  in  The  Pearl  see  Schofield,  pp.   199-201. 

^   Pp    xiii  ff. 


xiii  3|ntroDuction 

(605-612)  ;  humility  and  gentle  manners,  (264, 
281,  421,  632,  717),  and  courtesy  {passim,  esp. 
432—480)  —  all  of  which,  and  more,  attain  to  higher 
expression  in  his  portrayal  of  Gawain,  His  lament 
(11-24;  47-60;  241-252;  325-336),  and  his 
descriptions  of  the  lady's  beauty  (162—240;  747— 
756  ;  907-909),  both  employ  the  style  of  the  poets 
of  chivalry.  Furthermore,  the  language  and  ecstasy  of 
chivalric  love  are  transferred  to  unworldly  objects,  as 
in  the  representation  of  Christ  receiving  his  bride 
(41 3-420),  and  in  the  adoration  of  the  Virgin  (425- 
444).^  Indeed  a  certain  ecstatic  quality  prevails  in 
the  poem,  which,  though  characteristic  of  the  age  of 
chivalry,  is  broader  and  deeper  than  the  formal  bound- 
aries of  that  institution.  This  is  clearly  perceptible  in  the 
descriptions  of  Paradise  (85-108,  125-156)  and  of 
the  lady,  in  the  emotional  climax  of  the  poem  (1081  — 
1092,  1 145— 1 158),  and  in  the  contemplation  of  the 
person  of  Christ  (805-816,  1129-1144). 

Metre. 

Finally,  the  material  thus  analyzed  has  been  moulded 
in  a  strict  and  difficult  lyric  form.  The  metrical  struc- 
ture of  the  poem  combines  traits  which  are  both  native 
and  foreign,  English  and  Romance,    The  line  in  gen- 

*  A  reminder  of  the  close  interrelation  of  chivalry  and  the 
church.  Cf.  the  allegory  in  Ancren  Riivle,  pp.  388-400,  ed. 
Morton,  Camden  See.  Pub.  ;  songs  in  Boddeker  on  pp.  191  (cf. 
prefatory  note),  193,  196,  210,  5125^  Lo-ve  Ron,  E.  E.  T.  S. 
49  ;  the  devotional  poems,  »^.,  pp.  183,191,  209,  269  j  E.  E.  T.  S., 
117.  449-476  ;  i4-   i-'7,  ^2-34- 


31ntroDuction  xliii 

era!  is  iambic,  containing  four  stresses  in  the  manner 
of  the  French  octosyllabic,  sometimes  with  mascuHne, 
but  generally  with  feminine  ending.^  The  csesura  is 
likewise  masculine  or  feminine,  and  of  the  latter  both 

'  Metrical  analysis  of  The  Pearl  involves  the  vexed  question  of 
final  e  in  M.  E  The  text  has  been  examined  with  reference 
to  this  point  by  Professor  Clark  S.  Northup  (see  A  Study 
of  the  Metrical  Structure  of  The  Pearl,  Pub  Mod.  Lang.  Asso- 
ciation 12.  326-340),  and  his  conclusions  may  be  summarized  as 
follows  :  Final  e  is  elided  before  a  vowel  and  h  (exceptions,  621, 
666,  684,696,  720,  941,  loil,  1014,  10165  before  h,  551, 
643,  678,  1 142)  Final  unstressed  e  is  perhaps  silent  before  con- 
sonants, except  where  it  is  organic,  i  e  ,  the  survival  of  inflec- 
tional endings  in  O.  E.  or  O.  N.,  or  is  added  in  M,  E.  on  analogy 
with  such  inflectional  endings,  or  represents  French  final  e.  Close 
e  is  said  not  to  be  elided  before  a  vowel  or  h,  except,  perhaps, 
as  metre  demands  it  in  me,  pe,  ive,  he,  ne  (^neque\,  and  such 
cases  cannot  be  determined  finally  without  knowing  whether 
the  oral  habit  of  a  poet  so  practised  in  alliterative  verse  tended 
towards,  or  away  from,  the  native  irregularity  in  the  number  of 
consecutive  unstressed  syllables.  The  same  applies  to  the  possible 
occasional  slurring  of  -0  and  -y,  and  the  syncope  of  internal  weak 
e,  and  of  e  in  final  syllables  immediately  following  the  stress. 

Northup  mentions  but  one  line  in  which  the  unstressed  sylla- 
ble is  lacking  —  99°;  there  are  in  fact  eighteen:  17,  51, 
72,  122,  134,  188,  225,  286,  381,  486,  564,  586,  678,  709, 
825,  990,  999,  1036;  in  fourteen  of  these  the  missing  syllable 
is  the  first  in  the  last  foot  ;  in  the  others  (225,  709,  825,  990) 
it  is  displaced  by  the  cjesura.  In  all  these  but  134,  709,  which  he 
accepts,  G.  supplies  the  missing  syllable,  usually  by  adding  -e.  At 
first  sight  this  restoration  is  justified  by  Chaucer's  practice,  who 
never  omits  the  unstressed  syllable  in  this  metre  (Ten  Brink, 
Chaucer'' s  Sprac he  und  Verskunst,  2te  Aufl.,  §299),  and  that  of  his 
contemporaries  (Schipper,  Engl  Metrik  I.  278-279).  But  the 
verse  of  the  North  is  freer,  and  the  irregularity  here  considered  is 
perfectly  natural  in  a  poet  whose  usual  medium  is  the  alliterative 
long  line  ;  furthermore,  the  omission  occurring  regularly  in  fourteen 


xliv  31ntroDuctton 

the  lyric  '  and  the  epic  -  form  occur.  Certain  apparent 
irregularities  and  defects  in  the  line  show  the  persistence 
of  the  native  practice  against  the  French  rule.  Such  is 
the  constant  tendency  to  two  or  more  consecutive  un- 
tressed  syllables  between  stresses,  instead  of  one.  This 
trait  of  English  poetry  is  more  to  be  expected  in  a  poet 
who  preferred  alliterative  verse.  In  his  use  of  it  he  gains 
much  freedom  and  movement  in  a  form  which  might 
otherwise  become  too  strict.  The  opening  unstressed 
syllable  of  a  line  is  often  omitted.^  On  the  other  hand, 
this  opening  syllable  may  be  expanded  into  an  ana- 
crusis of  two  syllables.^  Another  native  trait  is  allitera- 
tion.^ 

The  strophe  of  twelve  lines  riming  ababababbcbc  I 
have  not  found  outside  of  English  poetry,  though,  in  its 
general  character,  it  is  doubtless  of  Romance  origin.  It 
occurs  frequently  in  shorter  poems  of  the  fourteenth 
century,  chiefly  religious.^    In  many  of  the  stanzas  the 

cases  at  the   opening  of  the   fourth   foot,  and  in  the  four  other 
cases  after  the  casura,  indicates  that  it  was  intentional.    I    have 
therefore  retained  the  MS.  readings. 
>  Cf.  7,  14,  45,  etc. 

2  Cf.  4,  25,  40,  etc  ;  see  Northup,  §  xiv. 

3  Altogether  in  77  lines,  of  which  20  begin  stanzas.  Northup, 
§xv. 

*  Lines  3,  31,  36,  65,  etc. 

5  Only  387  lines  are  without  it.  Vowel  alliteration  occurs  in 
46.    Northup,  §  xvi.  1,  15. 

8  Instances  are  found  in  E  E.  T.  S.  15  (2nd  ed.,  1903). 
191,  233,  238,  244;  24  (repr.  1895).  12,  18,  79,  98,  134; 
117.  658,670,672,  675,  683,  692,  704,  730,  740;  124. 
120.  Of  these,  117.  658-675  are  found  also  in  Philological  Soc. 
Transactions,   1858,    Pt    II,    pp.    118,    130,  133;   those  on  117. 


3IntroDuction  xlv 

closing  quatrain,  though  linked  to  the  octave  by  the 
rime  b,  bears  somewhat  the  same  logical  relation  to  it 
that  the  sestet  of  the  sonnet  does  to  the  octave.  In 
about  seventy-eight  stanzas  there  is  a  distinct  pause 
at  this  point  equivalent  to  a  period  or  a  semicolon,  and 
the  quatrain  is  sometimes  adversative  (9,  177,  273, 
369,  453,  537,  585,  909,  1161).^  Each  stanza 
is  linked  to  the  next  by  the  recurrence  of  its  last  word 
in  the  first  line  following  (^concaienatio.Y  Further- 
more, the  stanzas  fall  into  twenty  groups,  each  group 
consisting  of  five  stanzas  with  a  common  refrain. 
Though  this  refrain  is  varied  slightly  between  stanza 
and  stanza  within  the  group,  the    last  word   of  it  is 

658-692  in  AngUa  7  282-315.  Two  of  these  poems  have  a 
satirical  character —  117  683,  740  —  both  being  on  the  theme, 
'  Who  says  the  Sooth  he  shall  be  shent. '  The  rest  are  moral  or 
religious,  and  of  the  latter  the  most  are  devotional  None  is  in  the 
dialect  of  The  Pearl,  and,  in  nearly  every  case,  they  belong  to  a 
region  farther  south. 

'  However,  there  is  some  variation  in  the  internal  division  of 
stanzas,  the  commonest  form  being  three  quatrains  (4  +  4-1-4),  in 
37  stanzas ;  the  next  in  frequency  is  6  +  6,  as  in  stanzas  2,  18,  19,  20, 
25,  26,  30,  31,  34,  39-42,  46,  67,  70,  73,  78,  79,  94,  95, 
98,  100;  others  are  4  +  6  +  2,  as  in  stanzas  12,  13,  14,  22, 
24,  52,  58,  77,  82,  88,  loi  ;  8+4,  as  in  stanzas  i,  21,  38, 
47,  50,  64,  85,  86,  90  54+8,  as  in  8-10,  17,  57,  66,  71, 
72,  83,  92  ;  and  the  following  seem  irregular  :  7,  27,  28,  63,  65, 
68,  69,  84,  87,  93,  99. 

^  This  device,  probably  of  popular  origin,  is  familiar  to  readers  of 
mediaeval  Romance  lyrics.  See  Bartsch,  Die  Reimkunst  der  Trouba- 
dours, in  the  J ahrbuch  fiir  Rom.  und Eng.  Lit.  I.  179,180  :  Sten- 
gel in  Grober's  Grundria  2.  79  j  Schipper,  Engl.  Metrtk  1. 
316  fF.  In  English,  concatenatio  is  a  peculiarity  of  Northern  verse 
(see  Kblbing's  edition  of  &>  Trhtrem,  p.  Ixxxvi).  It  occurs  almost 
as  a  rule  in  poems  employing  the  strophe  of  The  Pearl. 


xlvi  31ntroiJuction 

always  the  same,  which,  of  course,  makes  the  c  rime 
throughout  a  group  the  same.  The  refrain  and  coti- 
catenatio  thus  produce  an  effect  of  both  pause  and  con- 
tinuity between  stanzas,  which  is  one  of  the  most 
charming  external  traits  of  the  poem.^  Somewhat 
the  same  effect  is  produced  between  group  and  group 
by  the  concatenatio  which  unites  them,  and  by  the 
change  of  refrain  which  distinguishes  them.  Finally, 
every  group  is  by  itself  a  complete  lyric  of  five  stanzas, 
each  of  which  in  turn  possesses  characteristics  of 
the  individual  lyric.  ^  In  a  form  so  strict  a  certain 
license  in  rime  is  inevitable.  It  consists  in  imper- 
fect rimes,  dialectal  variations  to  satisfy  rime,  and 
variable  spellings,  probably  with  a  slight  change  in  pro- 
nunciation, for  the  same  purpose.^   Assonance  occurs 

1  In  group  XV  there  are  six  stanzas.  Ten  Brink  has  suggested 
that  one  of  these  may  be  superfluous  (Hist.  I.  349,  n.  2).  I 
suspect  the  second  (no.  72),  whose  inferiority  is  readily  apparent. 
Unlike  any  other  stanza  of  the  poem,  it  contains  nothing  essential 
to  the  progress  of  the  poem,  and  nothing  which  is  not  implied  in 
the  stanza  immediately  preceding,  except,  perhaps,  the  allusion  to 
the  death  of  the  body,  which  is  unnecessary.  Furthermore,  the 
metre  of  the  last  six  lines  stagnates,  or  moves  on  a  dead  level, 
which  is  uncharacteristic  of  the  other  stanzas.  The  stanza  is, 
therefore,  probably  interpolated,  or  more  likely  was  rejected  in  the 
original  manuscript  by  the  poet,  but  got  copied  into  the  line  of 
succession  of  which  the  surviving  manuscript  comes. 

2  Some  more  than  others.  Such  are  the  opening  stanzas,  and 
the  last  stanza  is  virtually  a  lyric  pendant  to  the  poem,  which  may 
be  conceived  as  having  ended  at  1.  1200. 

3  For  example,  swete  (O.  E.  e),  1057,  rimes  with  strete  (O.  E. 
a)  ;  su?n  (O.  E.  u),  584,  with  dom  (O.  E.  0).  Brade,  138, 
mare,  145  (cf.  more,  144,  156,  168,  1 80,  in  rime  with  d),'wate, 
502,  abate,  617,  are  all  concessions  to  the  Northern  dialect  for  the 


;51ntroDuftion 


XlVll 


at  791.  The  identical  rime,  however  (53,  1112), 
was  considered  an  embellishment,  rather  than  a  defect, 
in  Romance  poetry.^  The  device  of  making  the  last 
line  of  the  poem  nearly  identical  with  the  first  is  found 
also  in  Patience  and  Gawain? 

Author. 

The  question  of  authorship  has  been  as  prolific  in 
conjecture  and  discussion  as  such  questions  usually  are. 
The  Pearl,  however,  like  most  of  the  Northern  poetry 
of  its  time,  is  still  anonymous.  Two  claims  may  here 
be  briefly  considered:  (i)  «  Huchown  of  the  Awle 
Ryale';  and  (2)  Ralph  Strode.  Huchown  was  first 
suggested  by  Guest  ^  ;  his  view  was  accepted  by  Mad- 
den in  1839,*  but  rejected  by  Morris  in  1864  upon 
dialectal  grounds.^  Trautmann,  after  examining  care- 
fully both  content  and  vocabulary,  is  convinced  that 
Huchown    is    not    the    author.^     The    argument    for 

sake  of  rime  ;  another  instance  is  gaivU,  463,  whose  usual  form 
in  this  dialect  is  ga//e,  189,  915  (Knigge,  p.  21).  A'las,  1115, 
riming  with  tras,  g/asse,  becomes  messe  at  497,  to  rime  with 
dreiie,geise,  etc.  (cf.  O.  F.  messe)  ;  Ayre,  523,  534,  etc.,  becomes 
Jiere,  616;  ivore,  142,  154,  and  -ware,  151,  1027,  are  altera- 
tions in  rime  of  the  usual  form  ivere ;  so  are  ivace,  65,  ivasse, 
1 108,  1112,  and  iv/iate;,  1 04 1,  for  the  regular  wa(j  ;  cartes,  754, 
ioi  cortayse,  303  ( cf.  433),  etc. 

1  Schipper,  Engltsche  Metrtk  i.  299-301. 

'  Other  examples  are  The  Awntyrs  of  Arthure,  Octa-vian 
(Southern  version). 

^   History  of  English  Rhythms,  ed.  Skeat,  1882,  pp.  460,  627. 

*  Sir  Gaivayne,  p.  302. 

'  Allit.  Poems,  p.  ix. 

'   ijber  Verfasser  und  Entstehungszeit,  etc.,  1876  j  Uber  Huch- 


xlviii  31ntroDuctton 

Huchown  consists  in  little  more  than  Wyntown's  con- 
temporary allusion  to  him  in  his  Chronicle  (273—354), 
where  he  calls  him,  '  Huchown  of  Jje  Awle  Ryale  '  (the 
royal  palace),  and  says  (304-305): 

He  made  \>e  gret  Gest  of  Arthure 
And  \>e  Awntyre  of  Gawane. 

If  this  Awntyre  is  our  Gawain,  then  Huchown  wrote 
The  Pearl.  The  Gawain  manuscript  is  headed  in  a 
late  hand  Hugo  de.  But  external  evidence  of  this  kind 
proves  nothing,  and  the  internal  evidence  is  on  the 
other  side. 

The  Strode  theory  *  is  based  entirely  upon  an  ent^-y 
in  an  old  Merton  College  Catalogue,  where,  among 
other  fellows,  is  '  Radulphus  Strode;  nobilis  poeta  fuit 
et  versificavit  librum  elegiacum  vocatum  Phantasma 
Radulphi.'  2  Dr.  Horstmann  seems  first  to  have 
guessed  that  this  Phantasma  was  The  Pearl,  and  to  have 

o'wn,  AngUa  I.  109-149.  Yet  in  1902  appeared  Mr.  George 
Neilson's //«C;io'zu/i  of  the  Aivle  Ryale,  claiming  in  industrious  but 
high-handed  argument  the  following  works  for  Sir  Hew  of  Eglin- 
toun,  with  whom  he  identifies  Huchown:  fVynnere  and  fVastoure, 
Gaivain  and  the  Green  Knight,  Pearl,  Purity,  Patience,  Golagros 
and  Gaivain,  Erken-ivald,  Aivntyrs  of  Arthure,  The  Wan  of 
Alexander,  The  Destruction  of  Troy,  Titus  and  Vespasian,  Morte 
Arthure,  Pistil  of  Sivete  Susan,  Parlement  of  the  Thre  Ages. 
These  include  more  than  30,000  lines,  of  which  nearly  27,000 
are  assigned  to  a  period  of  three  years  !  On  Huchown,  see  F.  J. 
Amours,  Scottish  Alliterati've  Poems,  Part  \l.  li-lxxxii,  Scott.  Text 
Soc.  38.  The  discussion,  so  far  as  it  relates  to  The  Pearl,  is  well 
summarized  by  Dr.  C.  F.  Brown,  in  his  article,  p.  116,  n.  4. 

'   See  Dr.  Brown's  summary  of  it  on  pp.  146-148  of  his  article. 

'  G.  C.  Brodrick,  Memorials  of  Merton  College,  Oxford  Hist. 
Soc.  4.    Oxford,  1885. 


31ntroDuction  xlix 

communicated  his  conjecture  to  Mr.  Gollancz,  who 
elaborated  it  without  acknowledgment.'  Mr,  Gollancz 
identifies  Strode,  the  poet,  with  Chaucer's  '  philosophi- 
cal Strode.'-  Mr.  J.  T.  T.  Brown  ^  has  shown 
that  the  two  Strodes  are  not  identical,  and  Dr.  Carle- 
ton  Brown  adds  that  the  poet,  being  a  member  of  Mer- 
ton,  the  leader  ot'the  strongly  Southern  party  at  Oxford, 
would  not  have  written  in  the  dialect  of  The  Pearl. 
That  the  author  of  the  The  Pearl  wrote  Purity,  Pa- 
tience, and  Gawain  there  can  be  no  doubt,'*  but 
opinions  differ  not  a  little  concerning  the  order  of  com- 
position.^ Instead  of  the  order.  Pearl,  Gawain,  Pur- 
ity and  Patience;^  or  Gawain,  Pearl,  Purity  and 
Patience;"^  Purity  and  Patience,  Pearl,  Gawain  seems 
the  more  probable,  at  least  considering  the  art  and 
technique  of  the  poems.**  The  first  two  mentioned 
are  much  more  difRise,  and  contain  more  that  is  irrele- 

'  According  to  Horstmann,  Rich.  RoUe  2.  xviii,  n.  3  j  Gol- 
lancz, ed.,  pp.  1— lii. 

2    Troilus,  1.  1857. 

'   Scott.  Antiquary,  July,  1 897. 

■•  Trautmann,  Anglia  I.  Common  authorship  is  indicated  by 
the  vocabulary,  diction,  style,  content,  and  temper  of  these  poems. 

^  There  is  good  reason  for  supposing  the  long  alliterative  De- 
struction  of  Troy,  adapted  from  Guido,  and  the  exquisitely  told 
Legend  of  Erkenivald  to  be  works  of  the  same  hand. 

*  Thomas,  pp.  24,25;  Knigge,  p.  117;  Brandl,  in  Paul's 
Grundriss  2.   662,  663. 

'   Ten  Brink,  History  1.   348. 

'  After  reaching  this  conclusion,  I  found  that  Professor  Kit- 
tredge  and  Professor  Schofield  believe  Purity  and  Patience  to  be 
earlier  than  the  poet's  other  works.  See  Schofield,  p.  165  and  n.  2. 
So  apparently  Morris  ;  cf.  Trautmann,  Uber  Verfaaer,  etc.,  p.  33. 


1  ^IntroDuction 

vant  than  do  the  others.  The  episodes  are  more  loosely 
articulated,  both  logically  and  in  composition,  and  the 
moral  element  is  clearly  distinct  from  the  sensuous.^ 
The  reverse  of  each  of  these  characteristics  is  illustrated 
in  Gawain ;  for  no  moral  teaching  —  certainly  no 
description  ot  the  essential  and  universal  beauty  and 
goodness  of  true  knighthood  —  has  been  more  per- 
fectly set  forth  in  sensuous  guise,  than  in  this  poem. 
At  no  point  in  his  works  do  I  recall  a  passage  so 
spontaneous,  so  eloquent,  so  great  and  just  in  its  sub- 
jection of  artistic  medium  to  the  thought,  as  Gaw. 
2374-2388.  Between  these  two  extremes  I  would 
place  The  Pearl,  which  shares  in  some  degree  the 
immaturity  of  the  first  with  the  maturity  of  the 
last.^ 

More  important  to  us  than  the  poet's  name  is  a  know- 
ledge of  his  status  in  life,  and  of  his  true  nature.  His 
intimate  acquaintance  with  the  Bible  and  his  use  of 
theological  material  have  been,  I  think,  too  hastily 
accepted  as  proof  conclusive  that  he  was  an  ecclesi- 
astic.^ In  the  fourteenth  century  such  knowledge  and 
interests  were  not  surprising  in  a  lay-poet.  They  are 
both  found  in  Chaucer,  and  religious  and  homiletic 
subjects  were  a  commonplace  among  contemporary  lay- 
poets.^  But  strong  sympathy  with  the  religious  life  is 
evident  in  all  the  poet's  works,  and  he  seems  to  have 

*  On  the  poet's  pictorial  use  of  the  Bible  see  pp.  xvii  fF. 

^  See  pp.  xii,  liv-lviii. 

3  C.  F.  Brown,  pp.   119  fF. 

^  Such  as  the  French  poets  already  mentioned,  and  Rutebuef. 
An  English  example  is  William  of  Nassington,  the  Yorkshire 
lawyer  (fl.  ca.  1375)  5   see  E.  E.  T.  S.  26. 


31ntroDuccion  li 

been  one  of  the  many  in  his  time  who  *  wolde  ben  in 
religion,  but  ])ei  mowe  not '  for  various  external  condi- 
tions of  their  Hves.^  It  has  already  been  noticed  that 
the  poet's  use  of  Scripture  is  not  after  the  traditional 
manner  of  ecclesiastics,  but  rather  in  the  sensuous  man- 
ner of  a  poet  ;  and  further,  that  his  theological  utter- 
ance is  of  a  kind  proceeding  rather  from  a  personal  than 
a  professional  impulse.^  In  all  his  known  works  there 
is  but  one  brief  allusion  to  the  corruption  of  the 
clergy, 3  and  that  is  devoid  of  bitter  raillery.  We  may 
wonder  that  one  who  at  all  times  illustrated  purity 
should  have  confined  himself  to  this  single  protest  ; 
but  it  would  be  the  more  remarkable  if  he,  as  an 
ecclesiastic,  were  in  a  position  to  see  the  corruption 
at  closer  range,  and  be  the  more  revolted  by  it.  Fur- 
ther indications  that  he  was  a  layman  appear  in  the 
decidedly  unecclesiastical  tone  of  his  glorification  of 
marriage  at  Purity  697-704,  and  in  the  maiden's 
advice,  *I  rede  f)e  forsake  J)e  worlde  wode,'  ''  which 
she  would  hardly  have  given  if  he  had  already  for- 
saken it.  L.  1 2 10,  speaking  of  the  host  which  *  pe 
preste  vus  schewe?  vch  a  daye,'  shows  the  wording 
of  a  layman.^ 

We  must  not  overlook  the  fact  that,  though  the  reli- 

»  Beginning  of  The  Abbey  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  E.  E.  T.  S.  26. 

^   Pp.  xviii  ;   xxxix,  xl. 

»   Pur.   12-16. 

<  L.  743. 

*  Contrast  Bona-ventura  s  Meditations,  tr.  Mannyng  (1320?), 
ed.  Cowper,  E.  E.  T.  S.  60,  p.  7,  1.  215  :'  He  \>zt  pou  seest  in 
forme  of  brede  '  ;  cf.  212.  These  lines  were  interpolated  by  Man- 
nyng (Introd.,  p.  xiv),  who  was  probably  an  ecclesiastic. 


lii  31ntroDuction 

gious  element  in  the  poet's  works  is  large,  the  secular 
element  is  larger,  and  that,  if  Purity  and  Patience  are 
earlier  than  The  Pearl,  and  Gawain  later,  his  tendency 
was  continually  away  from  the  expressly  religious  to 
the  secular.  His  reading  in  secular  literature,  and  his 
adoption  of  its  artistic  methods,  are  already  obvious 
enough  ;  and  withal,  the  most  perfect  and  apparently  the 
latest  of  his  works  is  wholly  within  the  field  of  romance. 
Readers  of  the  Gawain  find  various  i  phases  of  life 
about  a  feudal  castle  brought  before  them  in  many  vivid 
and  minute  details.  The  splendor  and  delight  of  feast 
in  hall,  the  tapestries  and  furnishings,  the  knight's 
chamber,  his  armament,  the  devotions  of  the  household, 
the  day  spent  indoors  or  without,  the  hunt  in  all  its 
episodes  varied  according  to  the  game  —  these  have  all 
evidently  been  at  some  time  every-day  matters  to  the 
poet,  and  he  describes  them  with  lively  but  innocent 
enthusiasm.  They  seem  to  be  part  of  the  poet's  own 
life  —  not  as  a  servant  or  menial,  but  as  one  who  en- 
tered into  them  equally  with  his  host,  or  perhaps  had 
bounteously  supplied  them  to  others.^  The  nature  of 
his  spiritual  struggle  seems  not  that  of  one  who  has  had 
hard  external  conditions  to  contend  with,  and  whose 
nature  and  expression  had  become  embittered  by  them. 
If  a  man  in  mind  and  soul  equal  to  our  poet  is  pro- 
tected against  poverty,  physical  suffering,  and  the 
spurning  and  neglect  of  the  unworthy,  his  struggle  arises 
in  another  way,  usually  from  inner  difficulties  of  philoso- 
phy and  faith,  precipitated  by  grief,  affliction,  or  tempta- 

^  Cf.    also  various   similar  pictures   in  Fur.    51-176;    1393- 
1424;   1508-1519. 


^IntroDuction  liii 

tion  of  private  nature.  Such  appears  to  have  been  the 
condition  and  experience  of  our  poet. 

At  the  same  time  he  was  a  person  who  had  enjoyed 
great  advantages.  His  reading,  both  religious  and  secu- 
lar, shows  this.  Nor  is  it  likely  that  such  reading  could 
have  been  acquired  in  the  remote  Northwest  of  Eng- 
land. His  skill  in  argument,  and  his  occasional  use  of  a 
term  such  as  '  pretermynable  '  and  *  property,'  indicate 
the  clerk.  ^  Along  with  this  is  the  frequent  reflection 
of  the  courtly  life,  and  of  familiarity  with  the  best  man- 
ners both  of  men  and  women,  all  of  which  suggests 
wide  experience  in  the  world,  not  only  at  the  Univer- 
sity, but  in  noble  households.^  In  the  best  sense  our 
poet  was  an  aristocrat.^  His  regard  for  gentle  breed- 
ing and  bearing  is  implied  throughout  the  Gawain, 
as  well  as  in  The  Pearl,  and  is  virtually  declared  in 
Pz^r/Vy  (35-50). 

A  man  of  this  condition,  yet  unobtrusive  and  unam- 
bitious as  our  poet  clearly  is,  would  naturally  not  be 
emulous  of  poetic  fame,  and  it  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at  that  his  works,  superior  as  they  are,  were  so  little 
known  as  to  survive  in  a  unique  manuscript,  while  his 
name  is  lost.  He  was  probably  content  with  the  mere 
act  of  self-expression,  and  indifferent,  as  more  than  one 
great  poet  has  been,  to  the  survival  or  fate  of  his  work. 
He  could  not  have  been  blind  to  the  evils  of  his  time, 

'   Cf.  also  dialoke^,  'dialogues,'  Pur.  1 1 57. 

'  He  may  have  studied  at  Oxford  or  Paris.  His  clerkship  in 
either  case  does  not  necessarily  imply  even  the  lowest  of  ecclesiastical 
orders.    Cf.   Rashdall,  Uniiicrsities  of  Europe  2.  637,  645,  646. 

3  Cf.  p.  xl. 


Hv  JlntroDuction 

nor  have  turned  with  weak  optimism  from  them,  but 
he  seems  to  have  had  more  faith  in  the  power  of  an 
ideal  positively  set  forth,  than  in  the  storm  and  strife  of 
continual  protest.  He  clung  with  warm  conservatism  to 
the  old,  both  in  religion  and  literature,^  and  yet  the 
clear  emergence  of  his  own  personaUty  and  experience 
through  his  expression  is  a  distinct  characteristic  of  the 
Renaissance.  i 

Finally,  he  is  one  to  whom  the  lighter  attachments 
of  life  are  nothing  without  deep  and  intimate  associa- 
tion with  at  least  one  other  soul,  and  his  devotion 
in  this  kind,  as  shown  in  The  Pearl,  is  one  of  his 
finest  traits.  Sweet-natured,  courtly,  devout,  impas- 
sioned, patient,  enthusiastic  over  the  beauty  of  life,  he 
may  indeed  seem  weak  to  a  generation  setting  greatest 
store  by  supreme  self-confidence  and  big  achievement 
in  material  things.  But  a  deeper  wisdom  recognizes  in 
these  very  traits  the  greatest  strength  —  strength  to 
make  the  distinction  between  veiled  good  and  evil, 
both  within  himself  and  in  the  world  about  him; 
strength  to  enjoy  the  good  in  all  purity;  strength  to 
fight  evil  until  he  achieves  a  quiet  triumph  beyond 
necessity  of  compromise;  and,  above  all,  strength  to 
submit  his  life  to  the  direction  of  God,  and  overcome 
the  weakness  of  believing  only  in  his  own  powers  and 
obeying  his  own  feelings.^ 

The  Pearl  is  not  the  greatest  of  the  poet's  works, 
though  it  may  be  the  most  complex  and  difficult.    Its 

^  Cf.  pp.  xxvii,  xxviii ;  xxxviii— xli. 

2  The  allusions  to  fortune  at  129,  1 195,  1 196  are  more  pa- 
tient and  sane  than  was  the  fashion  among  poets  of  his  time. 


31ncrot)uction  iv 

highly  artificial  metre  involves  the  necessity  of  artificial 
dialect  and  occasionally  distorted  meanings  and  syntax, 
and  this  is  in  opposition  to  full  facility  of  expression 
or  spontaneity  of  feeling.'  But  such  defects  scarce 
need  to  be  mentioned,  since  they  are  sure,  at  the  first 
readings,  to  assume  more  than  their  just  proportion, 
and  can  hardly  sink  to  their  proper  value,  even  as  one 
becomes  wholly  familiar  with  the  technical  practices  of 
the  Northern  school.  The  present-day  narrow  insistence 
upon  technique  as  the  most  desirable  thing  in  art 
should  blind  no  one  to  the  more  essential  excellence 
of  The  Pearl.  But  small  apology  for  its  technique 
is  necessary,  for,  in  spite  of  all  restraints  of  medium, 
the  expression  is  rapid  and  direct,  yet  not  prolix,  and 
the  structure  carries,  when  required,  the  full  strain  of  the 
poet's  strongest  passion. 

Since  it  employs  various  devices  already  familiar  to 
readers  of  medieval  Romance  poetry.  The  Pearl  has 
been  too  hastily  called  conventional.  But  a  traditional 
device  or  expedient,  when  beautified  anew,  and  reinfused 
with  feeling,  is  no  longer  conventional.  In  this  sense 
unconventional  is  our  poet's  use  of  the  dream,  the 
garden,  the  apotheosis  of  the  maiden,  the  debate,  and 
the  vision  of  heaven.  Two  qualifications,  then  —  his 
pure  delight  in  physical  beauty,  and  his  capacity  for 
strong  and  noble  passion  —  not  merely  relieve  the  poem 
of  conventionality,  but  endow  it  with  such  artistic  and 
spiritual  greatness  as  it  possesses. 

Profuse   and   splendid  are  the  sensuous  beauties  of 

*  See  pages  xii  ;  xlii  ff. ;  lines  i68,  597,  61 1,  63Z,  824,  and  nn. 


ivi  31ntroDuctwn 

The  Pearl.  Mingled  with  the  flowers  and  lawns  and 
fair  waters  of  romance  and  legend  are  the  rocks,  clifi^s, 
and  forests  of  the  North,  gleaming  with  unnatural  lustre. 
Twice  are  the  glories  of  Heaven  reviewed,  once  in 
brief  prelude  (867-888),  and  again  in  the  more  dis- 
tinct vision  beheld  by  the  poet  himself  (985-1 1  52). 
The  reader  might  well  object  to  the  unreality  and  lux- 
uriance of  it  all,  were  it  not  evident  that  the  poet  has 
his  material  under  absolute  control,  as  is  shown,  not 
only  by  his  rapidity  and  conciseness,  but  by  the  ar- 
rangement of  details  and  the  quality  of  certain  of  them. 
For  example,  in  the  first  episode  in  Paradise,  there  is  a 
distinct  progress  in  splendor,  passing  from  cliffs  and 
forests  to  finer  and  richer  details  of  flowers,  birds, 
pebbles,  and  stream,  all  culminating  in  the  wonder- 
ful portrait  of  the  maiden,  which,  though  elaborate 
and  dazzling,  is,  at  the  same  time,  simple,  sweet,  and 
tender.  In  like  manner  each  of  the  crowded  glories  in 
the  picture  of  the  New  Jerusalem  is  in  its  place,  and 
that  too  by  a  complete  rearrangement  of  details 
selected  from  the  Biblical  account  ;  there,  in  order, 
are  described  the  foundations,  the  streets,  houses, 
gates,  the  great  throne,  the  river,  the  trees  of  life; 
and  then,  like  the  transporting  beauty  of  the  full  moon 
rising  at  twilight,  emerges  the  procession  of  the  re- 
deemed, with  the  elders  and  angels,  amid  clouds 
of  incense  and  the  full  diapason  of  the  heavenly 
anthem  ;  and  lastly,  the  glorification  of  Christ  him- 
self arrayed  in  spotless  white,  yet  meek  and  tender, 
bearing  still  the  marks  of  his  passion,  and  near  him  the 
Pearl  and  her  companions,  rejoicing  with  perfect  joy. 


31ntroDuction  ivii 

In  all  this  there  is  perhaps  lacking  the  mystery 
which  should  go  with  such  description.  It  may  seem 
too  literal.  But  this  defect  is,  in  part,  overcome  by 
the  feeling  which  permeates  every  detail  of  the  work. 
Analysis  shows  line  after  line  interwoven  with  the 
descriptive  part  of  the  poem,  which  reveal  the  emotional 
reflex  upon  the  poet  of  his  own  picture.^ 

But  in  another,  and  far  more  important  way,  the 
poet's  emotion  enhances  the  artistic  excellence  of  the 
poem.  At  first  his  feelings  seem  multifarious  and  almost 
spasmodic  ;  they  appear  successively  as  poignant  grief, 
despondency,  resentment,  love,  joy,  quick  reaction 
to  grief  and  impatience  ;  then  indignation  and  humility 
in  confused  succession,  resolving  by  degrees  into  ecsta- 
tic transport,  which  subsides  into  quiet  regret,  and 
lastly  into  perfect  tranquillity.  But  multifarious  as  they 
may  seem,  they  are  but  various  manifestations  of  one 
single  emotion  —  a  subtle  and  urgent  yearning  for  peace 
in  the  poet's  heart.  It  is  by  this  means  that  the  widely 
discrepant  elements  of  the  poem,  which  we  have  ex- 
amined above,  are  combined  and  wrought  into  one 
ardstic  whole  ;  that  grief  and  joy  in  the  secular  garden 
of  Romance  lead  naturally  to  a  discussion  exploring  the 
mystery  of  God's  ways,  this  to  a  description  of  the 
life  of  the  blessed,  this  to  a  direct  vision  of  the  heavenly 
glories,  and  this  finally  to  the  calm  of  attainment.  In 
these  last  episodes,  the  vision  of  Heaven  and  the  close, 
the  poem  is  both  greatest  and  most  difficult  to  appre- 
ciate.   The    vision,   notwithstanding   its   exclusion    of 

*  The  dramatic  quality  in  his  version  of  the  parable  of  the 
vineyard  is  another  manifestation  of  this  emotion. 


iviii  31ntroDuction 

symbolism  and  its  concreteness  in  all  respects,  is  not  a 
mere  spectacular  indulgence  —  an  excuse  for  invention 
of  theatricalities.^  No  such  peace  of  mind  as  that  of  the 
last  stanza  can  be  derived  from  such  a  source.  The 
effect  upon  the  poet  of  contemplating  the  mysteries  of 
the  invisible  is  only  what  it  should  ^e  in  some  degree 
upon  any  one  who  can  command  the  vision.  He  and 
the  enlightened  men  of  his  time  realized  better  than  we, 
what  it  is  hardest  of  all  to  take  seriously  to-day,  that 
the  visible  world  draws  all  its  vitality  and  worth  from 
the  invisible,  without  which  it  is  dead;  and  that  some 
realization  of  the  celestial  consort  singing  ♦  in  endless 
morn  of  light '"is  more  vital  to  the  human  soul  than 
all  the  worldly  wisdom  the  mind  can  hold  or  practise. 

Thus  it  is  that  the  spirit  reflected  in  the  last  stanza 
is  a  true  one,  where,  with  contending  emotions  now  re- 
solved into  one,  the  poet  is  free  henceforth  to  work  and 
worship,  unhindered  by  doubts  and  remorse  and  small 
ambitions,  and  drawing  continually  nearer  to  the  pure 
companionship  which  is  dearer  to  him  than  all  things 
else. 

A  comparison  of  The  Pearl  with  Chaucer  is  like  a 
comparison  of  Dante  and  Milton  with  Shakespeare. 
The  singers  of  the  world  about  us  will  always  have 
many  listeners,  while  they  who  hearken  to  the  singers 
of  the  unseen  world  will  be  ^^■w  in  number.      Further- 

*  Any  more  than  Van  Eyck's  Adoration  of  tfie  Lamb,  or  Mem- 
ling's  vision  of  the  emerald  rainbow  in  the  right  wing  of  his  trip- 
tych, The  Marriage  of  St.  Catherine.  The  study  of  either  pic- 
ture might  be  an  effective  means  of  entering  into  the  spirit  of  The 

Pearl. 


3IntroDuction  lix 

more,  the  author  of  The  Pearl  has  not,  like  Dante  and 
Milton,  attempted  an  interpretation  of  invisible  things 
for  the  world  at  large.  His  poem  lies  within  the  limits 
ot  one  man's  narrow  though  profound  experience,  and 
is  not  addressed  to  the  many.  Yet  the  few  who  enter 
deeply  into  his  experience  with  him  may  find  therein 
revealed  to  them,  as  to  the  poet  himself,  the  most 
difficult  mysteries  of  life. 


Ci^e  ptaxl 


I  T)ERLE  plesauwte  to  Prynces  paye, 
Ji     To  clanly  clos  in  golde  so  clere  ! 
Oute  of  Oryent,  I  hardyly  saye, 
Ne  proued  I  neuer  her  precios  pere, 
So  rouwde,  so  xeken  in  _vche  araye,         ?  yi        5 
So  smal,  so  smo)?e  her  syde^  were. 
Queresoeu^r  I  jugged  gewme^  g^y^j 
I  sette  hyr  sengeley  i«  syngl  [e]  re. 
Alias  !   I  leste  hyr  i«  on  erbere  ; 
pur^  gresse  to  grouwde  hit  fro  me  yot.  lo 

I  dewyne,  fordolked  of  luf-daungere, 
Of  )^at  pryuy  perle  vyyt^outen  spot. 

More  than  forty  errors  in  G.' i  text,  horroiued  chiefly  from  M.^  s 
unre-vised  text,  are  here  unrecorded ;  the  re-vised  text  is  dated  i86g, 
and  G.'s  text  i8gi.  —  5  uche  a  raye,  G.  —  8  synglure,  MS., 
M. ;  synglere,  G.  —  II  for-dolked,  MS,. ,  M. ;  for-dokked,  G. , 
Kolbing,  M.  {Acad.  jg.  602) ;  fordoUed,  Athenaum  3328.  184. 
—  12  and  throughout,  wit^outen  (w;th,  etc.),  M.,  G. 


2  tlT^e  pearl 

2  Sy]>en  i«  |;at  spote  hit  fro  me  sprange, 
Ofte  haf  I  wayted,  wyschande  )>at  wele 

pat  wont  watj  whyle  deuoyde  my  wrange,  15 

&  heuen  my  happe  &  al  my  hele, 
pat  dot^  hot  J>rych  my  hert  );range. 
My  breste  in  bale  bot  bolne  &  bele. 
3et  |;o^t  me  neu^r  so  swete  a  sange 
As  stylle  stouwde  let  to  me  stele  ;  ao 

Forso|?e  ])er  fleten  to  me  fele, 
To  l^enke  hir  color  so  clad  in  clot. 
O  moul,  ]>ou  marre^  a  myry  iuele, 
iLX^v*tZt  y^y  p^iuy  perle  wyt/'outen  spotte  ! 

•v   p  •  —  — • 

3  pat  spot  of  spyse^  [mo]t  nedej  sprede,  15 
per  such  ryche^  to  rot  is  ru«ne  ; 

Blome^  blayke  &  blwe  &  rede  , 

per  schyne^  ful  schyr  agayn  |?e  sunne  ; 

Flor  &  fryte  may  not  be  fede 

Per  hit  dou«  drof  i«  molde^  du«ne ;  30 

For  vch  gresse  mot  grow  of  grayne^  dede, 

No  whete  were  elle^  to  wone^  wowne  ; 

Of  goud  vche  goude  is  ay  bygowne ; 

So  semly  a  sede  mo^t  fayly  not, 

p<2t  spry[n]gande  spyce?  vp  ne  spowne  35 

Of  f'at  pr^cios  perle  wythouten  spotte. 

17  hert[e]  G.  (iee  /.  5/,  and  supra  p.  xliii.).  —  23  mele,  M., 
G.;  iuele,  MS.,  F.  —24  spot,  C  — 25  myjt,  M.,  G.  ;  blotted 
in  MS. — 26  runnen,  MS.  M.  ;  runne,  G.  —  35  spryngande, 
M.,  G.  — 36  spot,  G. 


tE^lie  pearl  3 

4  To  ]>at  spot  jjat  I  in  speche  expoun 
I  entred,  in  pzt  erber  grene. 

In  Augoste  in  a  hy^  seysouw, 

Quen  corne  is  coruen  wyth  croke^  kene.  40 

On  huyle  |?er  perle  hit  trendeled  douH 

Schadowed  |)is  worte^  ful  schyre  &  schene  — 

Gilofre,  gyngure,  &  gromylyouw, 

&  pyonys  powdered  ay  bytwene. 

3if  hit  wat^  semly  on  to  sene,  45 

A  fayr  reflayr  jet  fro  hit  flot, 

per  wonys  pat  wor)?yly,  I  wot  &  wene. 

My  pr^cioaj  perle  wythouten  spot. 

5  Bifore  )7at  spot  my  honde  I  spe«n  [e]  d 

For  care  ful  colde  );at  to  me  ca^t ;  50 

A  de  [r]  uely  dele  in  my  hert  de«ned, 

paj  resoun  sette  myseluen  sajt. 

I  playned  my  perle  ]>at  ]>er  watj  spewned 

Wyth  fyrte  skyllej  J;at  faste  fajt ; 

paj  kynde  of  Kryst  me  comfort  kenned,  S5 

My  wreched  wylle  in  wo  ay  wrajte. 

I  felle  vpon  |;at  flo«ry  flajt, 

Suche  odowr  to  my  hernej  schot ; 

I  slode  vpon  a  slepyng-slajte  — 

On  ]>zt  prec  [i]  os  perle  wjt^outen  spot.  60 

46  fayrre  flayr,  G.  —  49  spennd,  MS.,  G.  ;  spewn[e]d,  M. — 
50  ca^t[e],  M.  —  51  deuely,  MS.  ;  denely,  M.,G  —  52  sajt[e], 
M.  —  53  penned,  Ho/tA.  —  54  fyrce,  Ho/tA.  —  fajt[e],  M. — 
57  flajt[e],  M. 


-y  ,^,^^M^ 


4  tETlje  pearl 

II 

6  Tj^RO  spot  my  spyryt  |;er  sprang  in  space, 
±_  My  body  on  balke  j^ertbod  in  sweuen  ; 
My  goste  is  gon  in  Gode^  grace, 

In  auenture  ]>er  meruaylej  meuen. 

I  ne  wyste  in  )>is  worlde  quere  pat  hit  wace,       65 

Bot  I  knew  me  keste  lf>er  klyfe^  cleuen  ; 

Towarde  a  foreste  I  bere  |)e  face, 

Where  rych  rokke^  wer  to  dyscreuen. 

pe  ly^t  of  hem  my^t  no  mon  leuen, 

pe  glemande  glory  |?at  of  hem  glewt ;  70 

For  wern  neu^r  webbe^  |>at  wy^ej  weuen 

Of  half  so  dere  adub  [be]  mente. 

7  Dubbed  wern  alle  po  downe^  sydej  < 
Wyt^  crystal  klyfFe^  so  cler  of  kynde. 
Holte-wode^  bry^t  aboute  hem  bydej  75 
Of  bolle^  as  blwe  as  ble  of  ynde; 

As  bornyst  syluer  ]?e  lef  onslyde^, 
pat  |>ike  con  trylle  on  vch  a  tynde 
Quen  glem  of  glode^  ^g^yn^  hem  glyde^ ; 
Wyth  schym^rywg  schene  ful  schrylle  bay 

schynde.  go 

pe  grauayl  |;at  on  grouwde  con  grynde 
Wern  precious  perle^  of  Oryente  ; 
pe  suwnebeme^  bot  bio  &  blynde 
In  respecte  of  );at  adubbement. 

66  but,    M.,    G.;    bot,    MS. — 72  adubmente,    MS.,   Af .  ; 
adubbemente,  G.  —  82  oryent,  G. 


tB\)t  pearl  5 

8      The  adubbemente  of  |;o  downej  dere  85 

Garten  my  goste  al  greffe  foqete ; 
So  frech  flauore^  of  fryte^  were 
As  fode  hit  con  me  fayre  refete. 
Fowle^  "per  flowen  i«  fryth  i«  fere. 
Of  flauwbande  hwej,  bo|?e  smale  &  grete;  90 

Bot  sytole-stry«g  &  gyt^rnere 
Her  reken  myrj^e  mo^t  not  retrete ; 
For,  quen  ];ose  brydde^  her  wyngej  bete, 
pay  songen  wyth  a  swete  asent ; 
So  grac  [i]  os  gle  cou|7e  no  mon  gete  95 

As  here  &  se  her  adubbement. 


9      So  al  wat^  dubbet  on  dere  asyse 
pat  fryth  ]?er  fortwne  forth  me  fere^. 
pe  der);e  j^erof  for  to  deuyse 

Nis  no  wyj  worJ>e  )?at  tonge  berej.  100 

I  welke  ay  forth  i«  wely  wyse ; 
No  bonk  so  byg  ]fat  did  me  dere^. 
pe  fyrre  i«  pe  fryth,  ]?e  fei[r]er  con  ryse 
pe  playn,  ]?e  plonttej,  p>e  spyse,  |7e  perej, 
&  rawej  &  rande^  &  rych  reuerej —  105 

As  fyldor  fyn  her  b  [o]  nkes  brent. 
I  wan  to  a  water  by  schore  |>at  scherej ; 
Lorde,  dere  watj  hit  adubbement  ! 

103   feitr,  MS.,  M.  I  feirer,  G.  —  io6  b[o]nk:es,  «fo«<f  j/ro*e 
0/0  omitted,  MS. 


tET^e  pearl  " 


10  The  dubbemente  of  j^o  derworth  depe 

Wern  bonke^  bene  of  beryl  bry^t  ;  no 

Swangeande  swete  )?e  water  con  swepe, 

Wyth  a  rownande  rourde  raykande  ary^t ; 

In  pe  fouwce  per  stonden  stone^  stepe, 

As  glente  j^ur^  glas  |)at  glowed  &  gly^t 

A  [s]  stremande  sterne^,  quen  stro|>e  mew  slepe, 

Staren  i«  welkyn  in  wynt^r  ny^t ;  ii6 

For  vche  a  pobbel  i«  pole  per  py^t 

Wat^  emerad,  safFer,  oper  gewme  gente, 

pat  alle  J>e  lo^e  lemed  of  ly^t. 

So  dere  wat^  hit  adubbemewt.  lao 

III 

11  'TT^HE  dubbemewt  dere  of  dou«  &  dale;, 

X     Of  wod  &  wat^r  &  wlonk  playnej, 
Bylde  in  me  blys,  abated  my  bale;, 
Fordidden  my  stresse,  dystryed  my  payne;. 
Dou«  after  a  strem  |>at  dry^Iy  hale;  115 

I  bowed  in  blys.    Bredful  my  brayne; ; 
pe  fyrre  I  folded  ]?ose  floty  vale;, 
pe  more  strengh]?e  of  ioye  myn  herte  strayne;. 
As  fortune  fares  per  as  ho  frayne;, 
Whe|?^r  solace  ho  sende  oper  elle;  sore,  130 

pe  wy;  to  wham  her  wylle  ho  wayne; 
Hytte;  to  haue  ay  more  &  more. 

Ill  S  in  Swangeande  altered fr.  w,  MS.  —  1 15  a,  MS.  ;  A, 
M.  ;  As,  G.  —  118  Emerad,  MS.,M.  —  124  [disjstresse,  M.-y 
stresse,  MS.,  G. 


I 


^l)e  pearl  7 

1 2        More  of  wele  wat^  i«  |^at  wyse 
pe«  I  cow|?e  telle  j^a^  I  torn  hade ; 
For  vr|jely  herte  my^t  not  sufFyse  *35 

To  l^e  ten|>e  dole  of  ])o  gladne^  glade. 
Forj^y  I  ];o^t  ]>at  paradyse 
Wat^  ])er  o[v]^r  gayn  )?o  bonke;  brade ; 
I  hoped  ]?e  water  were  a  deuyse 
Bytwene  myr|?e;  by  mere^  made;  H® 

By^onde  \>e  broke,  by  slente  dper  slade, 
I  hope  ]>at  mote  merked  wore. 
Bot  ]>e  water  wat^  depe,  I  dorst  not  wade, 
&  exier  me  longed  a  more  Sc  more. 


13 


More  &  more,  &  ^et  wel  mare,  i45 

Me  lyste  to  se  ]>e  broke  bypnde ; 
For  if  hit  wat^  fayr  ]>er  I  con  fare, 
Wel  loueloker  wat^  |?e  fyrre  londe. 
Abowte  me  con  I  stote  &  stare. 
To  fynde  a  forJ>e  faste  con  I  fonde ;  15° 

Bot  wo|?e^  mo  iwysse  ]>er  ware, 
pe  fyrre  I  stalked  by  j^e  stronde ; 
&  euer  me  j^o^t  I  schulde  not  wonde 
For  wo  )?er  wele^  so  wywne  wore, 
pewne  nwe  note  me  com  on  honde,  iSS 

pat  meued  my  mynde  ay  more  &  more. 

134  \>a^  torn  I  hade,  HohA.  —  138  o]>er  gayn,  Ms.,  M.;  other- 

gayn,  G 140  myrchej,  M.  [Acad.  jg.  60?);    Bytwene  merez 

by  Myrthe,  G.  {Acad.  40.  37)  —  14^  hope[de],  M.  ;  hoped,  G. 
—  144  ay,  G.  —  151  Iwysse,  MS.,  and  394. 


8  ^t)e  pearl 

14        More  meruayle  con  my  «jom  adau«t  j 
I  sej  bypnde  j^at  myry  mere 
A  crystal  clyffe  ful  relusauwt ; 

Mony  ryal  ray  con  fro  hit  rere.  160 

At  |?e  fote  ])ero{  ])er  sete  a  fau«t, 
A  mayden  of  menske  ful  debonere ; 
Blysnande  whyt  wat^  hyr  bleauwt  — 
I  knew  hyr  wel,  I  hade  sen  hyr  ere  — 
As  glysnande  golde  |?at  man  con  schere,  165 

So  schon  |;at  schene  anvnder  schore. 
On  lengh^  I  loked  to  hyr  ];ere, 
pe  lenger  I  knew  hyr  more  &  more. 


15         The  more  I  frayste  hyr  fayre  face, 

Her  fygure  fyn,  quen  I  had  fonte,  170 

Suche  gladande  glory  con  to  me  glace 

As  lyttel  byfore  J;erto  watj  wonte. 

To  calle  hyr  lyste  con  me  enchace, 

Bot  baysme«t  gef  myn  hert  a  bru«t ; 

I  se^  hyr  in  so  strange  a  place,  175 

Such  a  burre  my^t  make  my«  herte  bluwt. 

pewne  vere^  ho  vp  her  fayre  frou«t, 

Hyr  vysayge  whyt  as  playn  yuore, 

pat  stonge  myw  hert  ful  stray  atou«t, 

&  eu^r  Jje  lenger,  ];e  more  &  more.  180 


^\)t  pearl  9 

IV 

1 6    1%  /TORE  )?en  me  lyste  my  drede  aros  ; 
iVA    I  stod  ful  stylle  &  dorste  not  calle, 
Wyth  y^en  open  &  mouth  ful  clos ; 
I  stod  as  hende  as  hawk  in  halle. 
I  hope  'pat  gostly  wat^  Ipat  porpose  ;  jg^ 

I  dred  onende  quat  schulde  byfalle  — 
Lest  ho  me  eschaped  }7at  I  per  chos, 
Er  I  at  steuen  hir  mojt  stalle. 
J^at  gracios  gay  wyt^outen  galle, 
So  smofje,  so  smal,  so  seme  slyjt, 
Rysej  vp  in  hir  araye  ryalle, 
A  prec  [i]  OS  pyece  in  perlej  pyjt. 


190 


17        Perle^  py^te  of  ryal  prys 

pere  mo^t  mon  by  grace  haf  sene, 

Quen  |?at  frech  as  flor-de-lys  195 

Dou«  l^e  bonke  con  bo^e  bydene. 

AI  biysnande  whyt  wat^  hir  b[leaunt  of  biys], 

Vpon  at  syde^,  &  bouwden  bene 

Wyth  |>e  myryeste  margarys,  at  my  deuyse, 

pat  eu^r  I  se^  ^et  with  myn  y^en  ;  200 

Wyth  lappe^  large,  I  wot  &  I  wene, 

Dubbed  with  double  perle  &  dyjte, 

Her  cortel  of  self  sute  schene, 

W^t^  pr^cios  perle;  al  vmbepyjte. 

197  beauuiys  ?  MS.,  but  the  fi-ve  strokes  may  =  other  letters  than 
uui  ;  i  in  such  a  group  is  usually  ivritten  i  ;  beau  uiys,  M.  ;  beau 
mys,  G;  cf.n.  —  203   selk-sute,  F. 


10  Xf^f^t  prarl 

1 8        A  pyjt  coroune  jet  wer  j^at  gyrle,  105 

Of  mariorys  &  non  o)>^f*ston, 
Hije  pynaicled  of  cler  quyt  perle, 
Wyth  flurted  flowrej  perfet  vpon. 
To  hed  hade  ho  non  o]}er  [h]  erle ; 
Her  [hiere-leke  al  hyr  vmbegon.  210 

Her  semblau«t  sade  for  doc  o])er  erle, 
Her  ble  more  blajt  )?en  whallej  bon; 
As  schorne  golde  schyr  her  fax  |?e«ne  schon, 
On  schylderej  )?at  legh^  vnlapped  lyjte. 
Her  depe  colo«r  jet  wonted  non  *i5 

Of  pr^cios  perle  in  porfyl  pyjte. 

IQ        Pyjt  &  poyned  watj  vche  a  he»?me, 
At  honde,  at  sydej,  at  ouerture, 
Wyth  whyte  perle  &  non  o^er  gewme, 
&  bornyste  quyte  watj  hyr  uesture.  220 

Bot  a  wonder  perle  wvt^outen  wewme 
In  myddej  hyr  breste  watj  sette  so  sure. 
A  mawnej  dom  mojt  dryjly  de^zme 
Er  mynde  mojt  make  i«  hit  mesure ; 
I  hope  no  tong  mojt  endure  aaj 

No  sau^rly  saghe  say  of  ])at  syjt, 
So  watj  hit  clene  &  cler  &  pure, 
pat  pr^cios  perle  ])er  hit  watj  pyjt. 

209  werle,  MS.,  M.,  G.  — 210  lere  leke,  MS.  ;  here  heke, 
M.,G.  —  217  watj  poyned  8c,  MS.,M.  ;  and  poyned  watj,  G.  — 
225  tonge,  G. 


20  Pyjt  in  perle,  J7at  pr<?cios  py[ec]e 

On  wyper  half  wati?r  com  dou«  j^e  schore  ;         230 

No  gladder  gome  he|>en  into  Grece 

pen  I  quen  ho  on  bry/nme  wore  ; 

Ho  watj  me  nerre  j^en  auwte  or  nece  ; 

My  joy  forjjy  wat^  much  |?e  more. 

Ho  p[ro]fered  me  speche,  ]>at  special  sp[e]ce,  235 

Enclynande  lowe  in  wowmon  lore,  ^  i^13fi'  -H 

Ca^te  of  her  corou«  of  grete  tresore,  *^ 

&  haylsed  me  wyth  a  lote  ly^te. 

Wei  wat^  me  ]>at  euer  I  wat^  bore, 

To  sware  |;at  swete  in  perlej  py^te  !  X40 

V 

21  '  /^  PERLE,'  quod  I,  '  in  parley  pyjt, 

V^  Art  ])ou  my  perle  |>at  I  haf  playned. 
Regretted  by  my«  one,  on  ny^te  ? 
Much  longeywg  haf  I  for  pe  layned, 
Sy)jen  into  gresse  pou  me  agly^te  ;  ^45 

Pensyf,  payred,  I  am  forpayned, 
&  pou  in  a  lyf  of  lykywg  ly^te. 
In  paradys  erde,  of  stryf  vnstrayned. 
What  wyrde  hatj  hyder  my  iuel  vayned, 
&  don  me  in  ]?ys  del  &  gret  dauwger  ?  250 

Fro  we  in  twywne  wern  towen  &  twayned, 
I  haf  ben  a  joyle^  juelere.' 

229  pyse,  MS.  ;  p[r]yse,  M.  ;  pece,  F.  ;  pyece,  G.  —  235 
profered,  M.,  G. — spyce,  MS.,  M.  ;  spece,  G.  —  24.1,  and 
in  all  other  cases,  quoth,  G.  —  243  an  ay^te,  G.  —  250  G.  om.  pys. 
—  252  jueier,  G. 


12  X!^\)t  pearl 

22  That  juel  j^ewne  in  ge^wme^  gente 
Vered  vp  her  vyse  wyth  yjen  graye, 

Set  on  hyr  corouw  of  perle  oriewt,  255 

&  soberly  after  \>enne  con  ho  say  : 

*■  S/r,  ^e  haf  yowr  tale  mysetente, 

To  say  your  perle  is  al  awaye, 

pat  is  \n  cofer  so  comly  clente, 

As  in  yis  gardyn  gracios  gaye,  a6o 

Hereiwne  to  lenge  for  euer  &  play, 

per  mys  nee  mornywg  com  neu^r  [n]  ere ; 

Her  were  a  forser  for  |?e  i«  faye, 

If  ]>ou  were  a  gentyl  jueler. 

23  *■  Bot,  jueler  gente,  if  \>ou  schal  lose  265 
py  ioy  for  a  gewme  J^at  j^e  watj  lef, 

Me  |>ynk  )?e  put  i«  a  mad  porpose, 

&  busye^  j^e  aboute  a  raysouw  bref ; 

For  j^at  ]>ou  leste^  wat^  bot  a  rose 

pat  flowred  &  fayled  as  kynde  hyt  gef ;  270 

Now  l^ur^  kynde  of  pe  kyste  ]}at  hyt  con  close 

To  a  perle  of  prys  hit  is  put  i«  pref. 

&  ]>ou  hat:^  called  }?y  wyrde  a  ]?ef, 

pat  o^t  of  no^t  hat3  mad  pe  cler, 

pou  blame^  |?e  bote  of  ]>y  meschef,  ^75 

pou  art  no  kynde  jueler.' 

253  gemmyj,  M.  —  262  here,  MS.,  M.  ;  ner,  G. 


28o 


W\)t  pearl  13 

24  A  juel  to  me  J>en  wat^  |?ys  geste, 
&  iuele^  wern  hyr  gewtyl  sawej. 
'  Iwyse,'  quod  I,  '  my  blysfol  beste, 
My  grete  dystresse  ])ou  al  todrawej. 
To  be  excused  I  make  requeste ; 

I  trawed  my  perle  don  out  of  dawe^ ; 

Now  haf  I  fonde  hyt,  I  schal  ma  feste, 

&  wony  wyt^  hyt  in  schyr  wod-schawe^, 

&  loue  my  Lorde  &  al  his  lawe?,  285 

pat  hat^  me  bro3[t]  |>ys  blys  ner; 

Now  were  I  at  yow  bypnde  |jise  wawe^, 

I  were  a  ioyfol  jueler.' 

25  '  Jueler,'  sayde  )?at  gewme  clene, 

'  Wy  borde  ^e  men  so  madde  ^e  be  ?  290 

pre  worde^  hat^  ^ou  spoken  at  ene ; 

Vnavysed,  forsoj^e,  wern  alle  |?re  ; 

p<7u  ne  woste  in  worlde  quat  on  dot^  mene, 

py  worde  byfore  ]>y  wytte  con  fle. 

pou  says  ))ou  trawe^  me  i«  );is  dene,  295 

Bycawse  ])ou  may  wyth  y^en  me  se ; 

Ano])er  ]>ou  says,  i«  ):'ys  couwtre 

pyself  schal  won  wyth  me  ry^t  here ; 

pe  j^rydde,  to  passe  |^ys  wat^r  fre, 

pat  may  no  ioyfol  jueler.  300 

286  blysse,  G.  —  290  wy,  lorde  jemen,  F. 


14  tE'\)t  pearl 

26  *T  HALDE  J^at  iueler  lyttel  to  prayse 

X  pat  loue^  wel  ])at  he  se^  wyth  y^e, 
&  much  to  blame  &  vncort[a]yse 
pat  leue^  oure  Lorde  wolde  make  a  ly^e, 
pat  lelly  hy^te  yo«r  lyf  to  rayse,  305 

pa^  fortune  dyd  yowr  flesch  to  dy:je. 
^e  setten  hys  worde^  ful  [b]esternays 
pat  l[e]ue^  no|?yttk  hot  :;e  hit  sy^e ; 
&  l^at  is  a  poy«t  o  sorquydry^e, 
pat  vche  god  mon  may  euel  byseme,  310 

To  leue  no  tale  be  true  to  tryje 
Bot  |?at  hys  one  skyl  may  dem. 

27  *  Deme  now  }>yself  if  }wu  con  dayly 
As  man  to  God  worde^  schulde  heue. 

pou  sayt^  you  schal  won  i«  |>is  bayly ;  315 

Me  |?ynk  )?e  burde  fyrst  aske  leue, 

&  :jet  of  grauwt  ])ou  my^te^  fayle. 

pou  wylne:?  ou^r  }?ys  water  to  weue ; 

Er  moste  ])ou  ceuer  to  o]^er  couwsayl ; 

py  corse  in  clot  mot  calder  keue ;  310 

For  hit  wat^  forgarte  at  paradys  greue, 

Oure  prefader  hit  con  mysse^eme ; 

pur^  drwry  deth  bo^  vch  ma  dreue, 

Er  ou^r  Jjys  dam  hyw  Dry^tyw  deme.' 

302  levez,  G.  —  303  vncortoyse,  MS.,  M.  —  304  in  MS.  lyuej 
appears  altered  ivitbout  erasure  to  leuej  ;  M.  reads  louej  ;  levez,  G. 

—  307  westernays,  MS.,  M.,  G.  —  308  louej,  MS.,  M.;  levez,  G. 

—  309  ins,  MS.  —  315  sayez,  G.  —  323  loh  vch,  F.  —  man,  G. 


tC^lje  pearl  i5 

28  '  Deme^  ])on  me,'  quod  I,  '  my  swete,  3»S 
To  dol  agayn,  |?e«ne  I  dowyne. 

Now  haf  I  fonte  j^at  I  forlete, 
Schal  I  efte  forgo  hit  er  euer  I  fyne  ? 
Why  schal  I  hit  boj^e  mysse  &  mete  ? 
My  pr^cios  perle  dot^  me  gret  pyne  !  330 

What  serue^  tresor  hot  garej  men  grete 
When  he  hit  schal  efte  wyth  tene^  tyne  ? 
.  Now  rech  I  neu^r  for  to  declyne, 
Ne  how  fer  of  folde  |?at  man  me  fleme, 
When  I  am  partlej  of  perle  myne.  335 

Bot  durande  doel  what  may  men  deme  ? ' 

29  '  Thow  demej  no^t  bot  doel-dystresse,* 
pewne  sayde  ]>zt  wy^t ;  '  why  dot^  ]>ou  so  ? 
For  dyne  of  doel  of  lure^  lesse 

Ofte  mony  mon  forgos  |?e  mo ;  34° 

JJe  o^te  better  ]?yseluen  blesse, 

&  loue  ay  God,  &  wele,  &  wo, 

For  anger  gayne^  jje  not  a  cresse ; 

Who  nede^  schal  })ole,  be  not  so  |>ro. 

For  ]>o^  ]>ou  dauwce  as  any  do,  345 

Brauwdysch  &  bray  ]>y  bra|?e^  breme. 

When  ])ou  no  fyrre  may,  to  ne  fro, 

pou  moste  abyde  )?at  he  schal  deme. 

335  perlq,  MS. ,M.,G.  —  342  in  wele,  G.  —  348  most,  G. 


1 6  tH^tje  pfarl 

90        '  Deme  Dry^tyn,  euer  hym  adyte, 

Of  )'e  way  a  fote  ne  wy!  he  wry);e ;  350 

py  mende^  mou«te;  not  a  myte, 

pa^  ])ou  for  sor^e  be  neuer  bly|?e ; 

Stywst  of  l^y  strot  &  fyne  to  flyte, 

&  sech  hys  blyj^e  ful  swefte  &  swy|?e. 

py  prayer  may  hys  pyte  byte,  355 

pat  mercy  schal  hyr  crafte;  ky)7e ; 

Hys  comforte  may  ]}y  Izngour  lyp'e, 

&  |?y  lure^  of  ly^tly  leme  ; 

For,  marre  [d]  o])er  madde,  morne  &  myj^e, 

Al  lys  i«  hym  to  dy^t  &  deme.'  360 

VII 

21    ^TT^HENNE  demed  I  to  |;at  damyselle : 

X      '  Ne  wor|>e  no  wrathj^e  vnto  my  Lorde, 
If  rapely  [I]  raue  spornande  in  spelle. 
My  herte  watj  al  wyth  mysse  remorde, 
As  wallande  water  gotj  out  of  welle ;  365 

I  do  me  ay  in  hys  myserecorde. 
Rebuke  me  neu^r  wyth  worde^  felle, 
pa?  I  forloyne  my  dere  endorde, 
Bot  \y]>e^  me  kyndely  [wyth]  yo«r  cou;nforde, 
Pytosly  ]?enkande  vpon  j^ysse  :  370 

Of  care  &  me  ?e  made  acorde, 
pat  er  wat?  grouwde  of  alle  my  blysse. 

353  stynt,  G. — 359  marre,  MS.,  M.;  marred,  G. — ol^er  mende, 
Ho/tk.  —  362  wrath  \>e,  MS.,  M.  ;  N  om.,  G.  —  363  G.  inserts 
I  ;   M.  conjectures  ran.  —  369   Holth.  conjee t.  ky)>ej. 


i 


tE^lje  pearl  17 

32  '  My  blysse,  my  bale,  ^e  han  ben  bo]>e, 
Bot  much  ])e  bygger  ^et  wat^  my  mon  ; 

Fro  ]>ou  wat^  wroken  fro  vch  a  wo|?e,  375 

I  wyste  neuer  quere  my  perle  wat^  gon. 

Now  I  hit  se,  now  \e])e^  my  lo)>e. 

&,  quen  we  departed,  we  wern  at  on, 

God  forbede  we  be  now  wro];e. 

We  meten  so  selden  by  stok  o^er  ston.  380 

paj  cortaysly  ^e  carp  con, 

I  am  bot  mol  &  marere^  mysse ; 

Bot  Crystes  mersy  &  Mary  &  Jon  — 

pise  am  );e  grouwde  of  alle  my  blysse. 

33  <■  In  blysse  I  se  ]>e  bly]>ely  blent,  385 
&  I  a  man  al  mornyf  mate  ; 

^e  take  |?^ron  ful  lyttel  tente, 

pa^  I  hente  ofte  harme^  hate. 

Bot  now  I  am  here  in  your  pr^sente, 

I  wolde  bysech  wythouten  debate  390 

^e  wolde  me  say  i«  sobre  asente 

What  lyf  ^e  lede  erly  &  late  ; 

For  I  am  ful  fayn  |?at  yo«r  astate 

Is  wor)>en  to  worschyp  &  wele  iwysse ; 

Of  alle  my  joy  j^e  hyje  gate,  395 

Hit  is  in  grouwde  of  alle  my  blysse.' 

381  carpe,  G. — 382  marrez,  G. 


1 8  ^\)t  pearl 

34        *Now  blysse,  burne,-mot  pe  bytyde/ 
pen  sayde  |>at  lufsou/Az  of  lyth  Si.  lere ; 
'  &  welcu»/  here  to  walk  &  byde, 
p'or  now  );y  speche  is  to  me  dere ;  400 

Maysterful  mod  &  hy^e  pryde, 
I  hete  )?e,  arn  heterly  hated  here. 
My  Lorde  ne  loue^  not  for  to  chyde, 
For  meke  arn  alle  pat  wone^  hym  nere, 
&  when  in  hys  place  pou  schal  apere,  405 

Be  dep  deuote  in  hoi  mekenesse  ; 
My  Lorde  ])e  Lamb  louej  ay  such  chere, 
pat  is  ])e  grouwde  of  alle  my  blysse. 


_c        *  A  blysful  lyf  ])ou  says  I  lede ; 

pou  wolde^  knaw  |>^rof  |?e  stage.  410 

pow  wost  wel  when  ])y  perle  con  schede 

I  wat^  ful  3ong  &  tender  of  age ; 

Bot  my  Lorde  ])e  Lombe,  ]>ur^  hys  Godhede, 

He  toke  myself  to  hys  maryage, 

Corouwde  me  quene  i«  blysse  to  brede  415 

In  lengh^  of  daye^  |?at  euer  schal  wage ; 

&  sesed  in  alle  hys  herytage 

Hys  lef  is,  I  am  holy  hysse; 

Hys  prese,  hys  prys,  &  hys  parage, 

Is  rote  &  grouwde  of  alle  my  blysse.'  4*° 


^\)t  pearl  19 

VIII 

06    '  "[3  LYSFUL,'  quod  I,  '  may  |?ys  be  trwe, 
J3    Dysplesej  not  if  I  speke  erroar. 
Art  you  ];e  quene  of  heuene^  blwe, 
pat  al  |7ys  worlde  schal  do  honour  ? 
We  leuen  on  Marye  )>at  grace  of  grewe,  4^5 

pat  her  a  Barne  of  vyrgynflo«r; 
pe  croune  fro  hyr  quo  mo^t  remwe 
Bot  ho  hir  passed  i«  sum  fauowr  ? 
Now  for  synglerty  o  hyr  dousowr, 
We  calle  hyr  Fenyx  of  Arraby,  430 

pat  freles  fleje  of  hyr  fasor, 
Lyk  to  );e  Quen  of  cortaysye.' 

■J  J        '  Cortayse  Quen,'  }>e«ne  s[a]yde  |7at  gaye, 
Knelande  to  grou«de,  folde  vp  hyr  face, 
'  Makelej  Moder  &  myryest  May,  435 

Blessed  Bygywner  of  vch  a  grace  ! ' 
pe«ne  ros  ho  vp  &  con   restay, 
&  speke  me  towarde  i«  |?at  space  : 
'  S/r,  fele  here  porchase^  &  fonge^  pr^Xi 
Bot  supplantorej  none  wjt^i^me  |)ys  place ;  440 

pat  Emp^rise  al  heue«[e]^  batj, 
&  vr|7e  &  helle  i«  her  bayly  ; 
Of  erytage  ^et  non  wyl  ho  chace. 
For  ho  is  Quen  of  cortaysye. 

436  bygyner,  MS.  — 441  heuenj,  MS.,  M.  ;   hevenez,  G. 


20 


^\)t  pearl 


38  *  The  court  of  |7e  kyndom  of  God  alyue  445 
Hat^  a  property  in  hyt  self  beywg : 

Alle  ]?at  may  ]7eri«ne  aryue 

Of  alle  ])e  reme  is  quen  oper  ky«g, 

&  neuer  oper  ^et  schal  depryue, 

Bot  vchon  fayn  of  o])ere:^  hafywg,  450 

&  wolde  her  corou«e^  wern  wor|7e  ^o  fyue, 

If  possyble  were  her  mendywg. 

Bot  my  Lady,  of  quom  Jesu  con  spryng, 

Ho  haldej  ]}e  empyre  ouer  vus  ful  hyje  ; 

&  J)at  dysplesej  non  of  oure  gy«g,  455 

For  ho  is  Quene  of  cortaysye. 

39  'Of  cowrtaysye,  as  sayt^  Saywt  P[a]ule, 
Al  arn  we  mewbre^  of  Jej^u  Kryst ; 

As  heued  &  arme  &  legg  &  naule 

Temen  to  hys  body  ful  trwe  &  tyste,  460 

Ry^t  so  is  vch  a  Krysten  sawle 

A  longande  lym  to  j;e  Mayster  of  myste. 

pewne  loke  what  hate  o]>er  any  gawle 

Is  tached  o])er  ty^ed  ])y  ly;wme^  bytwyste ; 

py  heued  hatj  nau|?er  greme  ne  gryste,  465 

On  arme  oper  fynger  |?aj  ])ou  ber  byje. 

So  fare  we  alle  wyth  luf  &  lyste 

To  ky«g  &  quene  by  cortaysye.' 

457  poule,  MS.,  M.,  G.  —458  ihu,  Af5.  —  460  tfrlyste, 
M.,  G.  —462  of  lyste,  Holth. 


^tif  P^art 


21 


40        '  Cortayse,'  (\uod  I,  '  I  leue, 

&  charyte  grete,  be  yow  amo«g.  470 

Bot  my  speche  j^at  yow  ne  greue, 

pyself  in  heuen  ouer  hy^  ^on  heue, 

To  make  );e  quen  jjat  wat^  so  ^onge. 

What  more  honowr  mo^te  he  acheue  475 

pat  hade  endured  m  worlde  stronge, 

&  lyued  i«  penauwce  hys  lyue^  longe, 

W)'t^  bodyly  bale  hy;«  blysse  to  byye  ? 

What  more  worschyp  mojt  h  [e]  fonge, 

]?en  corou«de  be  kyng  by  cortays  [y]  e  ?  480 

IX 

.J    *  ^  I  ^HAT  cortayse  is  to  fre  of  dede, 

X     3y^  hy^  t)e  soth  j>at  ^o\i  cone^  saye; 
pou  lyfed  not  two  ^er  '\n  oure  |7ede  ; 
P^u  cow}?e3  neu^r  God  nau);^r  plese  ne  pray, 
Ne  neu^r  naw]:>er  Pater  ne  Crede.  485 

&  quen  mad  on  );e  fyrst  day  ! 
I  may  not  traw,  so  God  me  spede, 
pat  God  wolde  wry|;e  so  wrange  away ; 
Of  couwtes,  damysel,  par  ma  fay, 
Wer  fayr  \n  heuen  to  halde  asstate,  490 

K^er  ellej  a  lady  of  lasse  aray ; 
Bot  a  quene !  —  hit  is  to  dere  a  date/ 

472  G.  in-vents  MeJ'ynk.  \>ou  spekej  now  ful  wronge.  —  475 
more-hond,  M.  —  479  ho,  MS.,M.,  G. — 480  cortayse,  MS., 
M.,  G.  —  486  fyrste,  G. 


22  ^iit  pearl 

42  '  per  is  no  date  of  hys  godnesse,' 
pen  sayde  to  me  |;at  wor)?y  wyjte, 

'  f'or  al  is  traw|?e  |;at  he  con  dresse,  495 

&  he  may  do  no)?ynk  hot  ry^t, 

As  Mathew  melej  i«  yo«r  messe, 

In  sothfol  Gospel  of  God  Almyjt ; 

In  sample  he  can  ful  grayj^ely  gesse, 

&  lyknej  hit  to  heuen  ly^te.  500 

"  My  regne,"  he  saytj,  "  is  lyk  on  hyjt 

To  a  lorde  )jat  hade  a  uyne,  I  wate. 

Of  tyme  of  ^ere  ])e  terme  wat^  tyjt, 

To  labor  vyne  watj  dere  )?e  date. 

43  ' "  pat  date  of  jere  wel  knawe  ]>ys  hyne.  505 
pe  lorde  ful  eriy  vp  he  ros, 

To  hyre  werkmen  to  hys  vyne, 

&  fynde^  "per  suwme  to  hys  porpos. 

Into  acorde  j^ay  con  declyne 

For  a  pene  on  a  day,  &  forth  |;ay  gotj,  510 

Wry|)en  &  worchen  &  don  gret  pyne, 

Keruen  &  caggen  &  man  hit  clos. 

Aboute  vnder  |;e  lorde  to  marked  totj, 

&  ydel  men  stande  he  fynde^  Iterate. 

'  Why  stande  ^e  ydel  ? '  he  sayde  to  ];os  ;  515 

*  Ne  knawe  je  of  ]?is  day  no  date  ? ' 

499  in-sample,  G.  —  505   hys  hyne,  G.  —  513   Ho/tA.  conject. 
market  dotj. 


W^t  pearl  23 

44  '  "  '  Er  date  of  daye  hider  arn  we  wonne  ; ' 
So  wat^  al  samen  her  answar  so^t ; 

*  We  haf  standen  her  syn  ros  pe  suwne, 

&  no  mow  bydde^  vus  do,  ry^t  no^t.'  520 

'  Gos  into  my  vyne,  dot^  |>at  ^e  co«ne ; ' 

So  sayde  )>e  lorde,  &  made  hit  tojt. 

*■  What  resonabele  hyre  be  na^t  be  ruwne, 

I  yow  pay  in  dede  &  j^o^te.' 

pay  wente  iwto  J;e  vyne  &  wro^te,  525 

&  al  day  \>e  lorde  ]>us  ^ede  his  gate, 

&  nw  men  to  hys  vyne  he  bro^te. 

Welne3  wylday  wat^  passed  date. 

45  '  "  At  )>e  date  of  day  of  euensonge. 

On  oure  byfore  |?e  so«ne  go  douw,  53° 

He  sej  l^er  ydel  men  ful  stronge, 

&  sa  [y]  de  to  he  [m]  wyth  sobre  soun  : 

*  Wy  stonde  ^e  ydel  )>ise  daye^  longe  ? ' 
pay  sayden  her  hyre  wat3  nawhere  boun. 

'  Got^  to  my  vyne,  3emen  pnge,  535 

&  wyrkej  &  dotj  ])at  at  ^e  mou«,' 

Sone  ye  worlde  bycom  wel  brouw ; 

pe  suwne  wat^  dou«,  &  hit  wex  late; 

To  take  her  hyre  he  mad  sumoun ; 

pe  day  wat^  al  apassed  date.  54° 

524  I  wyl,  G.  —  pray,  MS.,  M.  ;  pay,  G.  —  529  At  \>e  day 
of  date  of,  MS.,  M;  At  date  of  the  day  at,  G. —  532  hen,  MS. 
—  538   &  &,  MS. 


24  tH^^e  pearl 

46  *"  ^  I  ^HE  date  of  ]?e  daye  ]>e  lorde  con  knaw, 

X     Called  to  )?e  reue : '  Lede,  pay  ]>e  meyny ; 
Gyf  hem  |>e  hyre  |>at  I  hem  owe ; 
&  fyrre,  j^at  non  me  may  repren  [y] , 
Set  hem  alle  vpon  a  rawe,  545 

&  gyf  vchon  iwlyche  a  peny. 
Bygyn  at  ^e  laste  )7at  stawdej  lowe, 
Tyl  to  ))e  fyrste  ]>at  ])ou  atteny.' 
&  |?e«ne  |;e  fyrst  bygowne  to  pleny, 
&  sayden  |;at  |7ay  hade  trauayled  sore :  55° 

'  pese  hot  on  oure  hem  con  streny  ; 
Vus  |?y«k  vus  o^e  to  take  more. 

47  ^ "  '  More  haf  we  serued,  vus  ]>ynk  so, 
pat  sufFred  han  )>e  daye^  hete, 

pe«n  )>yse  )^at  wro^t  not  houre^  two,  55S 

&  \>ou  dot^  hem  vus  to  couwterfete.' 

penne  sayde  ]>e  lorde  to  on  of  }>o  : 

*■  Frende  no  wani[n]g   I  wyl  ]?e  ^ete; 

Take  j^at  is  |)yn  owne  &  go. 

&  I  hyred  |7e  for  a  peny  agrete,  S^o 

Quy  bygywne^  ]?(?u  now  to  ]7rete  ? 

Watj  not  a  pene  |?y  couenauwt  |7ore  ? 

Fyrre  ]>en  couenauwde  is  no^t  to  plete. 

Wy  schalte  ^ou  ])enne  ask  more  ? 

544  reprene,  AIS.;  repreue,  M. ;  repreny,  G. —  551  an  [h]oure, 
M.  —  555  wro5t[e],  AI. —  557  om  a/t.  to  on,  MS. —  558  wanig, 
MS.;  wrang,  M.;  waning,  G.  —  (i  in  MS.  distinguishes  [from 
adjacent  u,  n,  m  ;  /lerewanlgivas  intended  perhaps.)  —  564aske,  G. 


tE^l)e  pearl  25 

48  '"'More  we])er  l[awe]ly  is  me  my  gyfte       565 
To  do  wyth  myn  quat  so  me  lykej  ? 

O'per  elle^  j?yn  y^e  to  \y])er  is  lyfte, 

For  I  am  goude  &  now  byswyke^.' 

'  pus  schal  I,'  quod  Kryste,  '  hit  skyfte : 

pe  laste  schal  be  |;e  fyrst  pzt  stryke^,  570 

&  j^e  fyrst  |;e  laste,  be  he  neuer  so  swyft ; 

For  mony  ben  calle  [d] ,  |>aj  fewe  be  mykej.' " 

pus  pore  men  her  part  ay  pyke^, 

pa3  };ay  com  late  &  lyttel  wore  ; 

&",  l^aj  her  sweng  wyth  lyttel  atslykej,  575 

pe  merci  of  God  is  much  j;e  more. 

49  '  More  haf  I  of  ioye  &  blysse  herei«ne, 
Of  ladyschyp  gret  &  lyue^  blom, 

pen  alle  ]>e  wyjej  in  ];e  worlde  myjt  wywne 

By  ]>e  way  of  ryjt  to  aske  dome.  580 

Whe|7er  welnygh  now  I  con  bygywne, 

In  euentyde  into  )^e  vyne  I  come ; 

Fyrst  of  my  hyre  my  Lorde  con  mywne, 

I  watj  payed  anon  of  al  &  sum. 

^et  o])er  J»er  werne  ])at  toke  more  torn,  585 

pat  swange  &  swat  for  long  pre, 

pat  ^et  of  hyre  no}?ynk  }?ay  nom, 

Parauwt^r  no^t  schal  to^ere  more.' 

565  louyly,  MS.,  M.,  G.  —  572  M.  conject.  he  myke^  ;  so 
Zupit-za  [Archi-v  go.  1 46,  n.  j).  —  58 1  MS.  clearly  welnygh  j 
wel  nygh[t],  M.,  G.  —  586  longe,  G. 


26  tlThe  pearl 

50  Then  more  I  meled  &  sayde  apert : 

'  Me  l^ynk  |?y  tale  vnresouwable  ;  590 

Goddej  ry^t  is  redy  &  eu^rmore  rert, 

0]}er  Holy  Wryt  is  bot  a  fable ; 

I«  Sauter  is  sayd  a  verce  ouerte 

pat  speke^  a  poy«t  determynable  : 

*'  pou  quyte^  vchon  as  hys  desserte,  595 

pon  hyje  Ky«g  ay  pr^termynable." 

Now  he  l^at  stod  |7e  long  day  stable, 

&  'pou  to  payment  com  hym  byfore, 

pe«ne  j^e  lasse  in  werke  to  take  more  able, 

&  euer  ]>e  lenger  |?e  lasse  pe  more.'  600 

XI 

51  ^A'^F  more  &  lasse  in  Godej  ryche,' 

V^   pat  gentyl  sayde,  '  lys  no  joparde. 
For  l^er  is  vch  mon  payed  inlyche, 
WheJ^er  lyttel  o]>er  much  be  hys  rewarde. 
For  i>e  gentyl  Cheuentayn  is  no  chyche ;  605 

Que])ersoeuer  he  dele  nesch  o]}er  harde. 
He  laue^  hys  gyfte^  as  wat^r  of  dyche. 
Oyer  gote^  of  golf  J7at  neu^r  charde. 
Hys  frauwchyse  is  large  ]}at  euer  dard 
To  hy;«  |)at  mat^  in  sy«ne  rescogh^ ;  610 

No  blysse  betj  fro  hem  reparde, 
For  pe  grace  of  God  is  gret  inogh^.  ''-" 

607  ikf.'j  MS.  -variant  gystej  is  a  mistake.  —  609  dard,  cf.  n, 
—  610  no  scogh«,  M.  —  611   him,  G.  —  612  Inoghe,  MS. 


^\)t  prarl  27 

52        '  Bot  now  ]>ou  mote  J  me  for  to  mate, 
pat  I  my  peny  haf  wrang  tan  here ;  < 

pou  say 3  |?at  I  |jat  com  to  late  615 

Am  not  wor)?y  so  gret  [h]ere. 
Where  wyste^  ]>ou  euer  any  bourne  abate       -i 
Euer  so  holy  in  hys  prayere 
pat  he  ne  forfeted  by  suwkyn  gate 
pe  mede  suwtyme  of  heuene^  clere  ?  620 

&  ay  }?e  ofter,  "pe  alder  |>ay  were, 
pay  laften  ry^t  &  wro^ten  wogh^. 
Mercy  &  grace  moste  hem  pen  stere. 
For  ])e  grace  of  God  is  gret  iwnoje. 

CO        '  Bot  iwnogh^  of  grace  hat^  iwnocent ;  6*5 

As  sone  as  j^ay  arn  borne,  by  lyne 
I«  ]7e  water  of  babtem  j^ay  dyssente ; 
pe«  arne  }?ay  boro^t  i«to  j^e  vyne. 
Anon  ye  day,  wyth  derk  endente, 
pe  my^t  of  deth  dot^  to  enclyne;  630 

pat  wro^t  neuer  wrang  er  ];e«ne  |;ay  wente 
pe  gentyle  Lorde  pewne  paye^  hys  hyne  5 
pay  dyden  hys  heste,  );ay  wern  j^ereine  ; 
Why  schulde  he  not  her  labowr  alow, 
^y  ...  Si  pay  h[e]m  at  ))e  fyrst  fyne,  635 

For  |?e  grace  of  God  is  gret  iwnogh^  ? 

616  lere,  MS.,  M.,  G. ;  G.  suggests  here  in  a  note.  —  625  hat^ 
hardly  distinguishable  in  MS.  —  630  Koil).  conjtct.  nyjt. —  635 
jy[rd],  M.  5  jy[ld],  G.  —  hym,  MS. 


28  ^\)7  pearl 

54        '  Ino^e  is  knawen  Ipat  mankyn  grete 
Fyrste  wat^  wro^t  to  biysse  parfyt ; 
Oure  forme  fader  hit  con  forfete 
pur^  an  apple  }7at  he  vpon  con  byte;  640 

Al  wer  we  dampned  for  |>at  mete 
To  dy^e  in  doel  out  of  delyt, 
&  syjjen  wende  to  helle  hete, 
pmwne  to  won  wjvt/?oute  respyt. 
Bot  l^er  oncom  a  bote  as-tyt ;  645 

Ryche  blod  ran  on  rode  so  rogh^, 
&  wy«ne  wat^r  \>en  at  |?at  plyt; 
pe  grace  of  God  wex  gret  iwnogh^. 

r  r        '  Innogh^  ];er  wax  out  of  |>at  welle, 

Blod  &  wat^r  of  brode  wou«de  :  650 

pe  blod  vus  bo^t  fro  bale  of  helle, 

&  delyu^red  vus  of  |?e  deth  secouwde  ; 

pe  water  is  baptem,  |?e  so])e  to  telle, 

pat  folded  |?e  glayue  so  gry;nly  grouwde, 

pat  waschej  away  ]?e  gylte^  felle  655 

pat  Adam  wythiwne  deth  vus  drouwde. 

Now  is  ])er  no^t  in  ]>e  worlde  rou«de 

Bytwene  vus  &  biysse  bot  |?at  he  wythdro^^ 

&  l^at  is  restored  in  sely  stounde, 

&  ]?e  grace  of  God  is  gret  i«nogh.  660 

647  Wynne  [&],  M.  —  649  out  out,  MS. 


tETlje  ptuti  29 

XII 

c6    A^  RACE  iwnogh  ]7e  mon  may  haue 

V_X  pat  sywne^  penne  new,  ^if  hyw  repente, 

Bot  wyth  sorj  &  syt  he  mot  hit  craue, 

&  byde  pe  payne  |7erto  is  bent. 

Bot  resouw  of  ry^t,  }?at  con  not  raue,  665 

Saue^  eu^rmore  j^e  iwnossewt ; 

Hit  is  a  dom  ])at  neu^r  God  gaue, 

pat  euer  Jje  gyltlej  schulde  be  schente. 

pe  gyltyf  may  contryssyouw  hente, 

&  be  ]7ur^  mercy  to  grace  fry^t ;  670 

Bot  he  to  gyle  |7at  neu^r  glente. 

At  iwoscente  is  saf  &  ryjte. 

57  '  Ry^t  J7«^  I  knaw  wel  in  J?is  cas. 
Two  men  to  saue  is  god  by  skylle ; 
pe  ry^twys  man  schal  se  hys  face,  675 

pe  harmle^  ha|?el  schal  com  hym  tylle. 
pe  Saut^r  hyt  sat^  ]ius  \n  a  pace : 
*'  Lorde,  quo  schal  klymbe  ]>y  hy^  hylle, 
O^er  rest  wythmnQ  j^y  holy  place  ?  " 
Hymself  to  onsware  he  is  not  dylle  :  680 

"  Hondelywge^  harme  j^at  dyt  not  ille, 
pat  is  of  hert  bo)?e  clene  &  ly^t, 
per  schal  hys  step  stable  stylle;" 
pe  iwnosent  is  ay  saf  by  ryjt. 

671  by  ryght,  G.  —  672   \>us  \>us,    MS.  —  674   fate,   MS.  — 
678  hyj  hyllej,  MS.,  M.  ;  hyghe  hylle,  G. 


30  tE^lir  pearl 

58  'The  ry^twys  man  also  sertayn  685 
Aproche  he  schal  ])at  proper  pyle 

pat  take^  not  her  lyf  in  vayne, 

Ne  glauere^  her  [n]  e^bor  wyth  no  gyle. 

Of  |?ys  ry^twys  sa^  Salamon  playn. 

How  kyntly  oure  [Kyng  hym]  con  aquyle ;       690 

By  waye^  ful  street  he  con  hym  strayn, 

&  scheued  hym  pe  rengne  of  God  awhyle, 

As  quo  says :   "  Lo  ^on  louely  yle  ! 

pou  may  hit  wywne  if  pou  be  wyjte." 

Bot  hardyly,  wjt^oute  peryle,  ^95 

pe  iwnosent  is  ay  saue  by  ry^te. 

59  '  Anende  ry^twys  men  ^et  sayt^  a  gome  — 
Dauid  in  Sauter,  if  euer  ^e  sej  hit : 

"  Lorde,  ])y  seruauwt  draj  neuer  to  dome, 

For  non  lyuyande  to  J^e  is  justyfyet."  700 

For)>y  to  corte  quen  ^ou  schal  com, 

per  alle  oure  causey  schal  be  tryed, 

Alegge  l^e  ryjt  you  may  be  iwnome 

By  |?ys  ilke  spech  I  haue  asspyed. 

Bot  he  on  rode  j^at  blody  dyed,  705 

Delfully  j;ur3  honde^  )>ryjt, 

Gyue  |?e  to  passe,  when  |7ou  arte  tryed, 

By  iwnocens  &  not  by  ry^te. 

688  mejbor,  MS.  niejbor,  M.,  G.  —  689  M.  conject.  sa[t]j. 
—  690  How  Koyntyse  onoure,  Bradley. — oure  [lord  him],  G. 
in  note  ;  oure  [kyng  him],  G.  in  text.  —  691  ho,  Bradley.  —  692 
awhyle,  MS.  ;  a  whyle,  M.  and  G.  —  700  sor,  MS. 


^l)c  pearl  31 

60  '  Ry^twysly  quo  con  rede, 

He  loke  on  bok  &  be  awayed  710 

How  Jesus  hym  welke  in  are|?ede, 

&  burnej  her  barney  vnto  hym  brayde. 

For  happe  &  hele  |?at  fro  hym  jede 

To  touch  her  chylder  j>ay  fayr  hym  prayed. 

His  dessypele^  wyth  blame  let  be  h[e]OT  bede,     715 

&  wyth  her  resouwej  ful  fele  restayed. 

]esus  |7e«ne  hem  swetely  sayde  : 

"  Do  way,  let  chylder  vnto  me  tyjt ; 

To  suche  is  heuenryche  arayed  "  ; 

pe  iwnocent  is  ay  saf  by  ryjt.  7jo 

XIII 

61  ^  ESUS  con  calle  to  hym  hys  mylde, 

J    &  sayde  hys  ryche  no  wy^  rny^t  wywne 

Bot  he  com  |?yder  ry^t  as  a  chylde, 

0|?^r  ellej  neu^r  more  com  Ijeriwne. 

Harmle^,  trwe,  &  vndefylde,  725 

"Wythouten.     mote     o])er     mascle    of   sulpande 

sywne  — 
Quen  such  |?er  cnoken  on  |7e  bylde, 
Tyt  schal  hem  men  |7e  jate  vnpywne. 
per  is  |?e  blys  ))at  con  not  bly«ne 
pat  pe  jueler  so^te  jmr^  perre  pres,  730 

&  soldc  alle  hys  goud,  boj?e  wolen  &  lywne. 
To  bye  hyw  a  perle  wat^  mascelle^. 

711,  717,  721,  jhc,  MS.  —  714  touth,  Af5.  — 715  hym, 
MS.,  M.,  G.  —  721  t>ys  mylde,  Kolb.;  Holth.  connect,  he  smylde. 
—  732  [t>at]  watj,  M. 


32  tc:t)e  l^earl 

62  '"This  ma[s]kelle^  perle,  )?at  bojt  is  dere, 
pe  joueler  gef  fore  alle  hys  god, 

Is  lyke  'pe  reme  of  heuenesse  clere  "  ;  735 

So  sayde  |;e  Fader  of  folde  &  flode ; 

For  hit  is  wewle^,  clene,  &  clere, 

&  endelej  rouwde,  &  bly|7e  of  mode, 

&  co/«mune  to  alle  |;at  ry^twys  were. 

Lo,  euen  in  mydde^  my  breste  hit  stode  !  740 

My  Lorde  }?e  Lombe,  )?at  schede  hys  blode, 

He  py^t  hit  )7ere  in  token  of  pes. 

I  rede  pe  forsake  pe  worlde  wode, 

&  porchace  py  perle  maskelles.' 

63  '  O  maskele^  perle  in  perlej  pure,  745 
pat  bere^,'  quod  I,  '  pe  perle  of  prys, 

Quo  formed  pe  py  fayre  fygure  ? 

pat  wrojt  py  wede,  he  wat^  ful  wys. 

py  beaute  com  neu^r  of  nature  ; 

Pymalyon  paynted  neu^r  j^y  vys,  750 

Ne  Arystotel  nawper  by  hys  lettrure 

Of  carpe  pe  kynde  )>ese  propert[y]j. 

py  coloar  passe^  pe  flo«r-de-lys  ; 

pyn  angel-hauy«g  so  clene  cortej  — 

Breue  me,  bry^t ;   quat  kyn  ofFys  755 

Berej  |>e  perle  so  maskellej  ? ' 

733  makellej,  MS.,  M.;  maskellej,  G.  —  735  hevenes,  G. 
—  739  ■yj'ywys,  MS. —  744  J>ys  perle,  G.  —  752  carpe,  MS.; 
carped,  G. — propertej,  MS.  —  755  M.  reads  of  triys  (tys)  and 
emends  of  pnys;  G.  accepts  of  triys;  offys  in  MS.  is  sufficiently  clear. 


tEl)e  pearl  33 

64  'My  ma[s]kele3  Lambe  |)at  al  may  bete,' 
Quod  scho,  '  my  dere  Destyne, 

Me  ches  to  hys  make  alp'aj  vnmete  ; 

Suwtyme  semed  \aX.  assemble,  760 

When  I  wente  fro  yor  worlde  wete. 

He  calde  me  to  hys  bon^rte : 

"  Cu/«  hyder  to  me,  my  lewman  swete, 

For  mote  ne  spot  is  non  \n  );e." 

He  gef  me  myjt  &  als  bewte  ;  7^5 

I«  hys  blod  he  wesch  my  wede  on  dese, 

&  coronde  clene  m  v^rgynte, 

&  pyjt  me  \n  perlej  maskellej.' 

65  '  Why  maskelle3  bryd,  |;at  bryjt  con  flambe, 
pat  relate^  hatj  so  ryche  &  ryf,  770 
Quat  kyn  ]yyng  may  be  |?at  Lambe 

pat  ]7e  wolde  wedde  vnto  hys  vyf  ? 

Oner  alle  d^er  so  hy^  |?(9U  clambe 

To  lede  wylh  \\ym  so  ladyly  lyf  ? 

So  mony  a  comly  onvu«der  cambe  775 

For  Kryst  han  lyued  \n  much  stryf ; 

&  '\>o\i  con  alle  |?o  dere  outdryf, 

&  fro  )?at  maryag  al  o])er  depres, 

Al  only  jjyself  so  stout  &  styf, 

A  makele^  may  &  maskelle^.'  780 

757  ma[s]kelej,  M.,  G. — 775  cumly,  M.,  C;  comly,  MS. 


34  ^^t  pearl 

XIV 

66  '  1%  /TASKELLES,'  quod]>zt  myry  quene, 

IVX    '  Vnblemyst  I  am,  wythouten  blot, 
&  |;at  may  I  wyth  mensk  mewteene  ; 
Bot  "  makele^  quene  "  jjewne  sade  I  not. 
pe  Lambes  vyue^  in  blysse  we  bene,  785 

A  hondred  &  forty  ]?owsande  flot, 
As  in  pe  Apocalyppe^  hit  is  sene  ; 
Sant  John  hem  sy^  al  in  a  knot 
On  J»e  hyl  of  Syon,  |?at  semly  clot ; 
pe  apostel  hem  segh  in  gostly  drem  790 

Arayed  to  J^e  weddywg  in  pat  hyl-coppe, 
pe  nwe  cyte  o  Jerusalem. 

67  ^  Of  Jerusalem  I  in  speche  spelle. 
If  pou.  wyl  knaw  what  kyn  he  be  — 

My  Lombe,  my  Lorde,  my  dere  Juelle,  795 

My  Joy,  my  Blys,  my  Lewman  fre  — 

pe  profete  Ysaye  of  hy;«  con  melle 

Pitously  of  hys  debonerte  : 

"  pat  gloryott^  Gyltle^  pat  mon  con  quelle, 

Wythouten  any  sake  of  felonye,  800 

As  a  schep  to  pe  sla^t  per  lad  wat^  he ; 

&,  as  lombe  |7at  clypper  in  lande  nem, 

So  closed  he  hys  mouth  fro  vch  query, 

Quen  Jue^  hym  lugged  in  Jerusalem." 

788  John,  MS.-,  see  gloss. — 791  high,  G.  in  error.  —  79a  u, 
M  -,0,  G  ;  MS.,  imperfect  o.  —  792,  793  jlrin,  MS.;  see  gloss.  — 
802  men,  MS. ;  nem,  M. ,  G.  —  in  bonde  men,  F. ;  in  honde  men, 
Kolhing  J  in  honde  [con]  nem,  Holth.  —  804  jhrin,  MS. 


tirije  pearl  35 

68  '  In  Jerusalem  wat^  my  Lewman  slayn,  805 
&  rent  on  rode  wyth  boye^  bolde; 

Al  oure  bale^  to  bere  ful  bayn, 

He  toke  on  hywself  oure  care^  colde ; 

Wyth  bofFete^  wat^  hys  face  flayn, 

pat  wat^  so  fayr  on  to  byholde ;  810 

For  sywne  he  set  hywself  in  vayn, 

pat  neu^r  hade  non  hymself  to  wolde ; 

For  vus  he  lette  hym  fly^e  &  folde 

&  brede  vpon  a  bostwys  bem, 

As  meke  as  lomb  |?at  no  playnt  tolde ;  815 

For  vus  he  swalt  i«  Jerusalem. 

69  '  Jerusalem^  Jordan,  &  Galalye, 
per  as  baptysed  pe  goude  Say«t  Jon, 
His  worde^  acorded  to  Ysaye. 

When  ]esus  con  to  hy/«  warde  gon,  820 

He  sayde  of  hyw  |?ys  professye  : 

"  Lo  Godej  Lombe  as  trwe  as  ston, 

pat  dot^  away  ]>e  sy«ne^  dry^e 

pat  alle  |?ys  worlde  hat^  wro^t  vpon  ! 

Hywself  ne  wro^t  neu^r  ^et  non,  825 

Whe|?^r  on  hymself  he  con  al  clem. 

Hys  generacyouw  quo  recen  con, 

pat  dy^ed  for  vus  in  Jerusalem  ?  " 

805  jlrm,  MS.,  and  eheivhere  unless  noted.  —  815   lomp,  MS. 
—  8i6  jrlfn,  MS.  —  820  jhc,  MS.  — 825  wroghte,  G. 


36  ^\)t  pearl 

70        '  In  Jerusalem  ^us  my  Le/«man  sw[e]te 

Twye^  for  lombe  wat^  taken  |>ere,  830 

By  trw  tecorde  of  ayj^^r  prophete, 

For  mode  so  meke  &  al  hys  fare  ; 

pe  l^ryde  tyme  is  'perto  ful  mete 

In  Apokalype^  wryten  ful  ^are. 

In  myde^  |)e  trone,  |7ere  saynte;^  sete,  835 

pe  apostel  John  hym  sy^  as  bare, 

Lesande  |?e  boke  with  leue^  sware 

pere  seuen  sywgnette^  wern  sette  iwseme ; 

&  at  |7tft  sy^t  vche  douth  con  dare, 

In  helle,  in  er)?e,  &  Jerusalem.  840 

XV 

J I    '  ^  I  ^  HYS  Jerusalem  Lombe  hade  neu^r  pechche 
X      Of  oper  huee  bot  quyt  jolyf, 
pat  mot  ne  masklle  mo^t  on  streche, 
For  wolle  quyte  so  ronk  &  ryf. 
For}7y  vche  saule  );at  hade  neu^r  teche,  845 

Is  to  |?at  Lombe  a  worthyly  wyf ; 
&,  J?a3  vch  day  a  store  he  feche, 
Among  vus  comme^  non  o]>er  strot  ne  stryf, 
Bot  vchon  enle  we  wolde  were  fyf ; 
pe  mo  |>e  myryer,  so  God  me  blesse.  850 

In  compayny  gret  our  luf  con  fryf 
In  honowr  more  &  neu^r  ]>e  lesse. 

829  ilrm,  MS.  — swatte,  MS.,  M.  ;  swete,  G.  —  836  iohn, 
MS.  —  sayt},  MS.,  M. ;  sagh,  G.  —  843  maskle,  G.  in  text ;  mas- 
kelle,  in  note. 


XE^t  laearl  37 

-2        '  Lasse  of  blysse  may  non  vus  brywg, 
pat  beren  |)ys  perle  vpon  oure  bereste, 
For  l^ay  of  mote  couj^e  neuer  my«ge  855 

Of  spotle^  perle^  |?a  [t]  beren  |)e  creste. 
Al)7a3  oure  corses  i«  clotte^  clywge, 
&  36  remen  for  rauj^e  wythouten  reste, 
We  j^ur^outly  hauen  cnawy«g ; 
Of  [o]  n  dethe  ful  oure  hope  is  drest ;  860 

pe  lo  [m]  be  vus  glade^,  oure  care  is  kest ; 
He  myrj^ej  vus  alle  at  vch  a  mes ; 
Vchonej  blysse  is  breme  &  beste, 
&  neu^r  onej  honowr  jet  neu^r  j^e  les. 

70        *  Lest  les  ]>on  leue  my  tale  farande,  865 

In  Appocalyppece  is  wryten  i«  wro  : 
"  I  segh^,"  says  John,  "  ];e  Louwbe  hym  stande 
On  ]?e  mou«t  of  Syon  ful  j^ryuen  &  )jro, 
Sc  wyth  hym  maydennej  an  hu«drej;e  }?owsande 
&  fowre  &  forty  );owsande  mo.  870 

On  alle  her  forhedej  wryten  I  fande 
pe  Lombej  nome,  hys  Faderej  also. 
A  hue  fro  heuen  I  herde  J;oo, 
Lyk  flodej  fele  laden,  ru«ne«  on  resse ; 
&,  as  |;u«der  {jrowej  in  torrej  bio,  875 

pat  lote,  I  leue,  watj  neu^r  |?e  les. 

856  }'a[y],  M.  G.,  but  syntax  demands  t)at.  — 860  o  of  [o]n 
blotted.  —  861  lonbe,  MS.,  M.  5  lomte,  G.  —  865,  entire  line  as 
catchivords  at  end  of  preceding  page.  —  leste,  tale,  in  catchivords  ; 
lest,  talle,  in  text. 


38  tE^tie  pearl 

'  "  Nau|7eles,  j^a^  hit  schowted  scharpe, 
&  ledden  loude  al|:'a^  hit  were, 
A  note  fui'  nwe  I  herde  hem  warpe  ; 
To  lysten  J;at  wat^  ful  lufly  dere.  880 

As  harpore^  harpen  in  her  harpe, 
pat  nwe  songe  |?ay  sowgen  ful  cler ; 
In  souwande  note^  a  gentyl  carpe, 
Ful  fayre  |?e  mode^  ]>ay  fonge  i«  fere. 
Ry^t  byfore  Gode^  chayere,  885 

&  ])e  fowre  bestej  j^at  hym  obes, 
&  pe  aldermen  so  sadde  of  chere, 
Her  songe  pzy  songen  neu^r  ]7e  les. 

*■  "  Now|7elese  non  wat^  neu^r  so  quoywt, 
For  alle  |7e  crafte^  |?at  eu^r  ]7ay  knewe,  890 

pat  of  |?at  songe  my^t  sywge  a  poywt, 
Bot  |7at  meyny  |7e  Lombe  }>a[t]  swe. 
For  J7ay  arn  bo^t  fro  J^e  vrj^e  aloynte 
As  newe  fryt  to  God  ful  due, 

&  to  ]?e  gentyl  Lombe  hit  arn  anioy«t,  895 

As  lyk  to  hymself  of  lote  &  hwe  ; 
For  neu^r  lesywg  ne  tale  vntrwe 
Ne  towched  her  tonge  for  no  dysstresse." 
pat  moteles  meyny  may  neu^r  remwe 
Fro  J?at  maskele^  Mayster  neu^r  |?e  les.'  900 

883   notez  con,  G.  —  892   J>ay  swe,   MS.,   M.,    G.  ;    )>a[t], 
Kolbing. —  89s  amoynt,  M.  by  mistake. 


tirije  pearl  39 

76  '  Neuer|7eles  let  be  my  |7onc,' 
Quod  I.     '  My  perle,  f>a3  I  appose, 

I  schulde  not  tempte  ]?y  wyt  so  wlonc, 

To  Kryste^  chambre  ]7at  art  ichose. 

I  am  bot  mokke  &  mul  amo«g,  505 

&  }?ou  so  ryche  a  reken  rose, 

&  byde^  here  by  J^ys  blysful  bone 

per  lyuej  lyste  may  neu^r  lose. 

Now  hynde  |?at  sympelnesse  cowej  enclose, 

I  wolde  Jje  aske  a  ]?y«ge  expresse  ;  910 

&,  |?a3  I  be  bustwys  as  a  blose. 

Let  my  bone  vayl  neu^rj?elese. 

XVI 

77  c]VTEUERpELESE  cler  I  yow  bycalle, 

i.^    If  3e  con  se  hyt  be  to  done  ; 

As  Ipou  art  gloryoai  wytZ^outen  galle,  915 

Wyt^nay  ])oii  neu^r  my  ruful  bone. 

Haf  ^e  no  wone^  \n  castel-walle, 

Ne  man^r  j^er  ^e  may  mete  &  won  ? 

pou  telle^  me  of  Jerusalem  pe  ryche  ryalle, 

per  Dauid  dere  wat^  dy;}t  on  trone,  9zo 

Bot  by  |>yse  holte^  hit  con  not  hone, 

Bot  in  Judee  hit  is,  ])at  noble  note. 

As  ^e  ar  maskele^   vnder  mone. 

Your  wone;j  schulde  be  wythouten  mote. 

904  Ichose,  MS.,  M.,  G. 


40  tlTlje  pearl 

78  'pys  motele^  meyny  ]>ou  cone^  of  mele,  9^5 
Of  l^ousaiilde^  j^ry^t  so  gret  a  route, 

A  gret  cete,  for  ^e  arn  fele, 

Yow  byhod  haue,  wyt^outen  doute ; 

So  cuwly  a  pakke  of  joly  juele, 

Wer  euel  don  schulde  lyj  J^^route.  93° 

&  by  |;yse  bonke^  ]?er  I  con  gele 

&  I  se  no  bygywg  nawhere  aboute, 

I  trowe  alone  ^e  lenge  &  loute 

To  loke  on  j^e  glory  of  )>ys  grac  [i]  ous  gote. 

If  ]?ou  hat  J  o|>er  lygywge^  stoute,  935 

Now  tech  me  to  |;at  myry  mote.' 

79  '  That  mote  ])ou  mene3  in  Judy  londe,' 
pat  specyal  spyce  })en  to  me  spakk, 

'  pat  is  ])e  cyte  ]7at  ]?e  Lombe  con  fonde 

To  sofFer  i«ne  sor  for  manej  sake  —  94° 

pe  olde  Jerusalem  to  vnderstonde  ; 

For  |7ere  ]?e  olde  gulte  wat^  don  to  slake. 

Bot  )>e  nwe,  )?at  ly^t  of  Gode^  sonde, 

pe  apostel  in  Apocalyppce  m  theme  con  take. 

pe  Lombe  ]>er  -wythouten  spotte^  blake  945 

Hat^  feryed  );yder  hys  fayre  flote ; 

&,  as  hys  flok  is  wyt/?outen  flake. 

So  is  hys  mote  wythouten  moote. 

93a  &,  om.  by  G.  —  945  lompe,  MS. 


tn^^e  pearl  41 

80  '  Of  motes  two  to  carpe  clene, 

&  Jerusalem  hy^t  bo))e  naw];eles,  95° 

pat  nys  to  yow  no  more  to  mene 

Bot  cete  of  God,  o\ier  sy^t  of  pes  : 

In  |7at  on  oure  pes  watj  mad  at  ene, 

Wytyf)  payne  to  sufFer  |;e  Lombe  hit  chese ; 

In  ]?at  o]>er  is  nojt  bot  pes  to  glene  955 

pat  ay  schal  laste  wyt/^outen  reles. 

pat  is  ];e  bor^  |>at  we  to  pres 

Fro  |7^t  oure  flesch  be  layd  to  rote ; 

per  glory  &  blysse  schal  Qxier  encres 

To  pe  meyny  ])ax.  is  wjt^outen  mote.'  960 

81  '  Motelej  may  so  melee  h  mylde,' 
pen  sayde  I  to  );at  lufly  flor, 

*■  Bryng  me  to  |jat  bygly  bylde, 

&  let  me  se  J7y  blysful  bor.' 

pat  schene  sayde  :  *  pat  God  wyl  schylde ;  965 

pou  may  not  enter  wjt^iwne  hys  tor, 

Bot  of  ]7e  Lombe  I  haue  };e  aquylde 

For  a  sy^t  j^erof  j^ur^  gret  fauor. 

Vtwyth  to  se  pat  clene  cloystor 

pou  may,  bot  iwwyth  not  a  fote;  97° 

To  strech  in  |?e  strete  \o\i  hat^  no  vygowr 

Bot  \>on  wer  clene  w_yt^outen  mote. 

958  fresth,  MS.\  G.  is  mistaken  in  denying  this. 


42  ^\)t  peart 


XVII 


82  '  TF  t'l^is  mote  j^e  schal  vnhyde, 

X    Bow  vp  towarde  |?ys  bornej  heued, 

&  I  anende^  j^e  on  ]^is  syde  975 

Schal  sve,  tyl  ])ou  to  a  hil  be  veued.' 

pen  wolde  [I]  no  lenger  byde, 

Bot  lurked  by  lau«ce^  so  lufly  leued, 

Tyl  on  a  hyl  |?at  I  asspyed 

&  blusched  on  Jje  burghs,  as  I  forth  dreued,        980 

By^onde  j^e  brok  fro  me  warde  [brjeued, 

pat  schyrrer  |jen  suwne  wyth  schafte^  schon. 

In  J^e  Apokalypce  is  }?e  fasoun  preued, 

As  deuysej  hit  ]?e  apostel  John. 

83  As  John  ]>e  apostel  hit  syj  wyth  syjt,  985 
I  sy^e  l^at  cyty  of  gret  renouw, 

Jerusalem  so  nwe  &  ryally  dyjt, 

As  hit  wat^  ly^t  fro  |?e  heuen  adouw. 

pe  bor^  wat^  al  of  brende  golde  bry^t. 

As  glemande  glas  burnist  brouw,  990 

Wyt^  gentyl  gewme^  anvnder  py^t  ; 

Wyth  bantele^  twelue  on  basywg  bou«, 

pe  fouwdemente^  twelue  of  riche  tenou«  ; 

Vch  tabelment  wat;^  a  serlype^  ston ; 

As  derely  deuyse^  jjis  ilk  tou«  995 

In  Apocalyppej  'pe  apostel  John. 

978  launtej,  Athenaeum  _^j 28.  184. — 981  keued,  MS.,  M., 
G. — 984  jhon,  MS. — 985  John,  MS.,  and  at  996,  1008, 
1009,  1020,  1021,  1032,  1053. — 990  G.  suggests  gX&s  [3).'], 
hut  cf.  I.  ly,  and  -var. 


turtle  pearl  43 

84  As  [John]  )>ise  stone^  in  writ  con  ne;«me, 
I  knew  );e  name  aft^r  his  tale  : 

Jasper  hy^t  |;e  fyrst  ge»/me 

pat  I  on  j>e  fyrst  basse  con  wale  j  looo 

He  glente  grene  i«  j^e  lowest  he/wme ; 

SafFer  helde  |?e  secouwde  stale; 

pe  calsydoyne  |>e«ne  wjtZ'Outen  we;72me 

In  |?e  ]?ryd  table  con  purly  pale ; 

pe  emerade  J)e  fur|?e  so  grene  of  scale ;  1005 

pe  sardonyse  jje  fyf[?e  ston  ; 

pe  sexte  |7e  rybe  he  con  hit  wale 

In  |7e  Apocalyppce  ]7e  apostel  John. 

85  ^et  joyned  John  |?e  crysolyt, 

pe  seuen]7e  gewme  in  fundament ;  loio 

pe  a3tp>e  ])e  beryl  cler  &  quyt ; 

pe  topasye  twynne-how  J'e  ne«te  endent ; 

pe  crysopase  ]>e  tenj^e  is  ty^t ; 

pe  jacyngh  \>e  enleuenj>e  gent  ; 

pe  twelf}?e,  j^e  gentyleste  in  vch  a  plyt,  1015 

pe  amatyst  purpre  wyth  ynde  blente; 

pe  wal  abof  ])e  bantels  bent 

0  jasporye,  as  glas  |?at  glysnande  schon  j 

1  knew  hit  by  his  deuysement 

In  pe  Apocalyppe^,  |;e  apostel  John.  1010 

997  G.  inserts  John.  —  998  names,  G.  —  999  fyrste,  G.  — 
1004  thryde,  G.  —  1018  masporye,  M.  ;  bttwetn  o  and]  a 
later  hand  has  inserted  f. 


44  Z^t  prarl 

86  As  John  deuvsed  ?et  sa?  I  ]^re. 

]?ise  twelue  degres  wem  brode  5c  stavre ; 

pe  cvte  stod  abof  ful  sware, 

As  longe  as  brode  as  hv^e  ful  favxe  — 

pe  strete^  of  golde  as  glasse  al  bare,  1025 

pe  wal  of  iasj>er  J^t  glent  as  glavre ; 

fe  wone;  w^ti'inne  enurned  ware 

Wvth  alle  kywne;;  perre  J^at  mo:;t  repavre. 

penne  helde  vch  sware  of  |?is  manavre, 

Twelue  forlonge  space  er  eu^r  hit  fon,  1030 

Of  he;^,  of  brede,  of  len|>e,  to  cavre. 

For  meten  hit  sy;  |'e  apostel  John. 

xvm 

87  \  S  John  hvm  wrvte;  ?et  more  I  sv^e  : 
jTx^  Vch  pane  of  J>at  place  had  Jre  ^atej. 

So  twelue  in  poz^rseut  I  con  asspve,  1035 

pe  portale;?  pvked  of  rvch  platej, 

Sc  vch  :;ate  of  a  margvrve, 

A  parfyt  perle  f^z  nevur  fate?. 

Vchon  in  scrvpture  a  name  con  plve 

Of  Israel  barney,  folewande  her  datej,  1040 

pat  is  to  say,  as  her  byr|i  whate^ ; 

pe  aldest  av  frrst  Jieron  wat^  done. 

Such  ly^  J>er  lemed  in  alle  J>e  stratej 

Hem  nedde  nawj?^  sunne  ne  mone. 

IZ--  T    -■--    'r  :   ----:.  MS.,  B-ad.-Strat.,  G. 


(Ttr  iDrarl 


+i 


88  Of  sirnne  ne  mone  had  Jjav  no  nede ;  1C45 
pe  self  God  watj  her  lompelv^, 

pe  Lombe  her  lantvme  w>t^outen  drede; 

purj  hxm  blysned  ]?e  borj  al  bryjt. 

pur^  woje  &  won  mv  lokvng  jede. 

For  sotvle  cler  nojt  lette  no  lyjt.  icco 

pe  hvje  trone  j^er  mojt  je  hede 

W>tZ?  alle  |?e  apparavlmente  vmbepyjte, 

As  John  )>e  appostel  in  terme^  ty^te ; 

pe  hyje  Godej  self  hit  set  \'pone. 

A  rener  of  j?e  trone  }ier  ran  outry:jte  1055 

Watj  brvjter  })en  boJ>e  J>e  sunne  ic  mone. 

89  Sunne  ne  mone  schon  neuer  so  swete 
A  [s]  ]7at  fovsoiur  flode  out  of  l^at  flet ; 
Swy}>e  hit  swange  j'ur^  vch  a  strete 

W>'t/?'outen  fvi|ie  ojvr  galle  oyer  glet.  ic6= 

Kvrk  ]>ennne  wat^  non  jete. 

Chapel  ne  temple  )>at  eujfr  wat^  set ; 

pe  Almvjtv  watj  her  mynyster  mete, 

pe  Lombe  J»e  sakerfyse  ^er  to  reget. 

pe  ;ate;  stoken  wat;  neucr  ^t,  1065 

Bot  eucrmore  vpen  at  vche  a  lone ; 

per  entre;  non  to  take  reset 

pat  berej  any  spot  anvnder  mone. 

1046  lombe,  3IS.  ;  kmpe,  M..  G.  —  1050  nxgc,  3£  — 
1058  A!  J«t,  Jf. }  As  that  G. —  1064  sakcr-iyse,  MS. — 
106S   an  vndq,  MS. 


46  XB\)t  pearl 

90  The  mone  may  ];erof  acroche  no  my^te; 

To  spotty  ho  is,  of  body  to  grym ;  1070 

&  also  lj)er  ne  is  neuer  ny^t. 

What  schulde  ]ye  mone  ]7er  compas  clym, 

&  to-euen  wyth  j^at  worj^Iy  ly3t 

pat  schyne^  vpon  |?e  broke^  brym  ? 

pe  planete^  arn  i«  to  pou^r  a  plyjt,  1075 

&  l^e  self  suwne  ful  fer  to  dym. 

Aboute  |?at  wat^r  arn  tres  ful  schym, 

pat  twelue  frytej  of  lyf  con  here  ful  sone ; 

Twelue  syj^e^  on  ^er  |>ay  beren  ful  frym, 

&  renowlej  nwe  in  vche  a  mone.  1080 

9 1  Anvnder  mone  so  gret  m^rwayle 
No  fleschly  hert  ne  my^t  endeure, 

As  quen  I  blusched  vpon  pzt  ba[y]ly, 

So  ferly  |;^rof  wat^  j;e  fasure. 

I  stod  as  stylle  as  dased  quayle  1085 

For  ferly  of  ]7at  freuch  fygure, 

pat  felde  I  nawj^^r  reste  ne  trauayle. 

So  wat^  I  rauyste  wyth  glywme  pure. 

For  I  dar  say  wyth  conciens  sure, 

Hade  bodyly  burne  abiden  |;at  bone,  1090 

pa^  alle  clerkej  hy;w  hade  in  cure, 

His  lyf  wer  loste  anvnder  mone. 

1076  selfe,  G.  —  1083  baly,  MS.,  M.,  G.  —  1084  falure,  M. 
—  1086  French,  M. 


tD^lje  pearl  47 

XIX 

92  T^Y^T  as  |>e  maynful  mone  con  rys 
J^  Er  p»e«ne  |?e  day-glem  dryue  al  dou», 

So  sodanly  on  a  wonder  wyse  1095 

I  watj  war  of  a  prosessyou«. 

pis  noble  cite  of  ryche  enpr[y]se 

Wat^  sodanly  ful  wythouten  sommoun 

Of  such  v^rgyne^  in  ])e  same  gyse 

pat  wat3  my  blysful  anvnder  crouw ;  uoo 

&  coronde  wern  alle  of  j^e  same  fasoun, 

Depaynt  i«  perle^  &  wede^  qwyte ; 

In  vchonej  breste  watj  bouwden  boun 

pe  blysful  perle  wyth  [gret]  delyt. 

93  Wyth  gret  delyt  };ay  glod  in  fere  1105 
On  golden  gate^  j^at  glent  as  glasse ; 

Huwdreth  powsandej  I  wot  J»er  were, 

&  alle  in  sute  her  liurej  wasse ; 

Tor  to  knaw  ])e  gladdest  chere. 

pe  Lombe  byfore  con  proudly  passe  mo 

Wyth  horne^  seuen  of  red  golde  cler ; 

As  praysed  perlej  his  wede3  wasse. 

Towarde  j^e  throne  |7ay  trone  a  tras. 

pa^  l^ay  wern  fele,  no  pres  in  plyt, 

Bot,  mylde  as  maydene^  seme  at  mas,  11 15 

So  droj  |7ay  forth  wyth  gret  delyt. 

1097  enpresse,  MS.;   M.;   enpryse,  G.  — 1 1 04  wtouten  delyt, 
MS. —  nil  glode,  MS. 


II20 


II25 


48  tElje  pearl 

94        Delyt  ]>at  [|?er]  hys  come  encroched 
To  much  hit  were  of  for  to  melle. 
pise  aldermen,  quen  he  aproched, 
Grouelywg  to  his  fete  |>ay  felle ; 
Legyou«es  of  auwgele^  togeder  uoched 
per  kesten  ensens  of  swete  smelle. 
pen  glory  &  gle  wat^  nwe  abroched  ; 
Al  songe  to  loue  j^at  gay  Juelle  ; 
pe  steuen  mojt  stryke  j^urj  ];e  vr)7e  to  helle, 
pat  l^e  Virtues  of  heuen  of  joye  endyte. 
To  loue  |?e  Lombe  his  meyny  in  melle 
Iwysse  I  la^t  a  gret  delyt. 

95        Delit  |7e  Lowbe  for  to  deuise 

Wyth  much  meruayle  in  mynde  went.  1130 

Best  wat^  he,  blyj^est,  &  moste  to  pryse, 

pat  eu^r  I  herde  of  speche  spent ; 

So  wor|;ly  whyt  wern  wedej  hys  ; 

His  loke^  symple,  hywself  so  gent. 

Bot  a  wouwde  ful  wyde  &  weete  con  wyse 

Anende  hys  hert,  Jjur^  hyde  torente; 

Of  his  quyte  syde  his  blod  outsprent. 

Alas  !  )?ojt  I,  who  did  j^at  spyt  ? 

Ani  breste  for  bale  a^t  haf  forbrent 

Er  he  ];erto  hade  had  delyt.  1140 

1 117  [h>er]  supplied  by  G 1 136  to-rent,  G. 


"35 


XI^\)t  pearl  49 

g6        The  Lombe  delyt  non  lyste  to  wene. 
paj  he  were  hurt  &  wouwde  hade, 
In  his  sembelau«t  wat^  neuer  sene, 
So  wern  his  glente^  gloryowj  glade. 
I  loked  amo«g  his  meyny  schene,  "45 

How  |?ay  wyth  lyf  wern  laste  &  lade ; 
pe«  sa^  I  ]7er  my  lyttel  quene, 
pat  I  wende  had  standen  by  me  in  sclade. 
Lorde,  much  of  mir|?e  wat^  |?at  ho  made, 
Amo«g  her  fere^  J^at  wat3  so  quyt !  1150 

pat  sy3t  me  gart  to  |'enk  to  wade 
For  luf-longy«g  i«  gret  delyt. 

XX 

97    T^ELYT  me  drof  in  yje  &  ere; 

J_^  My  mane^  mynde  to  maddv^«g  make  ; 

Quen  I  se3  mv  frelv,  I  wolde  be  );ere,  1155 

Bypnde  \>e  water  j^a^  ho  were  walte. 

I  l^o^t  ]?at  no]?y«g  my^t  me  dere 

To  fech  me  bur  &  take  me  hake  ; 

&  to  start  in  )?e  strem  schulde  non  me  stere, 

To  swywme  |?e  remnauwt,  j^a^  I  |?er  s walte.        1160 

Bot  of  )'at  muwt  I  wat^  bitak  ; 

When  I  schulde  start  in  ]?e  strem  astraye, 

Out  of  ];at  caste  I  wat^  bycalt ; 

Hit  watj  not  at  my  Prynce^  paye. 


50  tE^lie  pearl 

98  Hit  payed  hym  not  }>at  I  so  flonc  1165 
Ouer  meruelowj  merej,  so  mad  arayde ; 

Of  raas  j^a^  I  were  rasch  &  ronk, 

^et  rapely  |7eri«ne  I  watj  restayd. 

For,  ryjt  as  I  sparred  vnto  |;e  bone, 

pat  brat[h])?e  out  of  my  drem  me  brayde.  1170 

pen  wakned  I  in  ]>at  erber  wlonk, 

My  hede  vpon  ];at  hylle  watj  layde 

per  as  my  perle  to  grouwde  strayd. 

I  raxled  &  fel  in  gret  affray, 

&,  sykywg  to  myself,  I  sayd,  11 75 

*  Now  al  be  to  J;at  Pryncej  paye.* 

99  Me  payed  ful  ille  to  be  outfleme 
So  sodenly  of  ]>a.t  fayre  regiouw, 

Fro  alle  |?o  sy^te^  so  quyke  &  queme. 

A  longeywg  heuy  me  strok  in  swone,  1180 

&  rewfully  |7e«ne  I  con  to  reme : 

'  O  perle,'  quod  I,  '  of  rych  renouw. 

So  wat^  hit  me  dere  pat  pou  con  deme 

In  ]7ys  v^ray  avysyouw  ! 

If  hit  be  ueray  &  soth  sermoun,  1185 

pat  |>ou  so  stfrjyke^  in  garlande  gay. 

So  wel  is  me  in  |?ys  doel-dou«gou«, 

pat  pou  art  to  j^at  Prynse^  paye.' 

1 166  arayed,  G. —  1168  restayed,  MS.,  M.,  G.  —  1170 
brathe,  M.  ;  bratthe,  G  ;  in  MS.  J>  is  apparently  superimposed  on 
h  ;  cf.  etym.  and  wrathjje,  j62.  —  1 179  quykej,  MS.,  M.  ; 
quyke,  G.  —  1 185  If,  MS.  —  1 186  stykej,  MS.,  M. ;  strykej,  G. 


tE^^e  pearl  51 

100      To  l^at  Prynce^  paye  hade  I  ay  bente, 

&  ^erned  no  more  j^en  wat^  me  geuen,  1190 

&  halden  me  |;er  in  trwe  entent, 

As  ]>e  perle  me  prayed  )?at  wat^  so  pryuen, 

As  helde[r]  drawen  to  Goddej  present, 

To  mo  of  his  mysterys  I  hade  ben  dryuen. 

Bot  ay  wolde  man  of  happe  more  hente  1195 

pen  mo3ten  by  ry^t  vpon  hem  clyuen. 

perfore  my  ioye  wat^  sone  toriuen, 

&  I  kaste  of  kythe^  |?at  laste^  aye. 

Lorde,  mad  hit  arn  |?at  agayn  |;e  stryuen, 

0]>er  proferen  }>e  ojt  agayn  |?y  paye !  1200 

lOi      To  pay  ]>e  Pr/nce  o]>er  sete  [hym]  sajte 
Hit  is  ful  e\>e  to  |?e  god  Krystyin  ; 
For  I  haf  fouwden  hym,  bo|?e  day  &  najte, 
A  God,  a  Lorde,  a  Frende  ful  fyin. 
Ouer  |?is  hyiil  j^is  lote  I  la^te,  1205 

For  pyty  of  my  perle  enclyin, 
&  syl^en  to  God  I  hit  byta^te. 
In  Kryste^  dere  blessyng  &  myn, 
pat,  in  ]>e  forme  of  bred  &  wyn, 
pe  preste  vus  schewej  vch  a  daye.  1210 

He  gef  vus  to  be  his  homly  hyne, 
Ande  preciow^  perlej  vnto  his  pay.  Amen.  Amen. 

1 193   helde,  MS.,  M.,  G. —  1205    hyiil,  MS.  clearly;   hyl, 
M.,  G. 


1.  perle.  On  the  significance  of  the  word  in  this  poem  see 
pp.  xxii,  xxxii  fF. 

plesaunte,  etc.    A  similar  phrase  at  E.  E.  T.  S.  14.  14  : 

Mi  lyf  to  lede  in  word  &  dede 
As  is  moost  plesaunt  to  thi  pay. 

Prynces.  Christ;  cf.  1164,  1176,  1188,  1189,  I20I, 
121 2.  Perhaps  as  a  secondary  meaning  any  prince  is  implied  ;  cf. 
Boddeker  145.  7  :  'Coral  ycud  wif)  cayser  ant  icnyht.'  That 
I  f.  are  not  apostrophe,  but  mere  exclamation,  is  indicated  by  the 
third  person  in  the  next  sentence. 

2.  The  difficulties  of  this  vague  line  are  two-fold  :  (i)  the 
meaning  of  to  clanly  clos  ;  (2)  the  intended  figurative  meaning  of 
the  whole  line,  (i)  '0  may  be  an  error  for  so,  long  i  and  t  being 
written  alike  except  for  the  short  final  stroke  ;  or,  as  G.  says, 
the  expression  means  '  "  Too  cleanly  enclosed"  (i.  e.  for  earthly 
existence).'  But  clanly  clos  is  a  common  alliterative  phrase  (cf. 
Gaiv.  1298;  Destr.  Troy  9616,  9620,  10586,  10784,  13793  ; 
Aivnt.  Arth.  288  ;  Alex.  1 837),  and  clanly  may  thus  be  used 
here  rather  for  alliteration  than  meaning.  To  may  thus  belong  to 
the  more  significant  clos,  the  sense  being  *  too  fast  ( though  decently) 
enclosed  for  my  present  happiness.'  Or  clanly  may  mean  '  com- 
pletely,' in  which  case  to  could  modify  it.  (2)  golde  is  probably 
the  coffer,  i.  e.  Paradise,  as  intimated  in  259-272.  Perhaps  the 
poet  recalled  the  traditions  of  seven  heavens,  described  by  the  child 
Ipotis  (Horstmann,  1881,  p.  342;  cf  512);  cf.  11.  69  fF. : 

J>e  feorj^e  heuene  is  gold  iliche, 

Ful  of  precious  stones  riche  ; 

To  Innocens  \yar.  Innocentes,  p.  Jf2]  )>at  place  is  diht. 

See  also  citation  from  Ephrem's  hymn  on  the  death  of  children, 
735  n.  The  maiden's  innocence  is  an  important  theme  in  Tie 
Pearl,  esp.  661-720.  Cf.  the  same  figure  in  0.  E.  Misc.  98, 
178-182  : 


54  i^otes! 

pe  ymston  [  Mary]  of  \>\  bur, 
He  is  betere  an  hundred  folde 

pan  all  t>eos  in  heore  culur. 
He  is  idon  in  heouene  golde, 

And  is  ful  of  fyn  amur. 

The  line  may  contain  also  a  secondary  allusion  to  the  maiden's 
tomb  (cf  22),  where  the  poet  mourns,  and  where  he  conceives 
his  poem.  The  phrase  clanly  c/os,  in  varied  forms,  applies  most  fre- 
quently to  the  enclosing  of  the  body  in  the  tomb,  as  in  the  passages 
cited  at  the  beginning  of  this  note  ;  golden  tombs  and  reliquaries 
are  common  in  Northern  alliterative  poems.  Thus  Memnon's 
bones  are  entombed  by  his  brother  (Destr.   Troy  13  79 1  fF.),  who 

Closit  hom  ful  clanly  in  a  clere  vessel!, 
All  glyssonond  of  gold  &  of  gay  stonys. 

Cf.  Morte  Arth.  1 163  ff.;  3991  f ;  Alex.  4452,  5592.  The 
poet  may  have  provided  costly  sepulture  for  the  child. 

3.  Cf.  'out  of  \>&  Orient,'  Alex.  94,  iiii  ;  also  Destr.  Troy 
151,  5488,  5487,  10807.  Pearls  of  the  Orient  were  distinguished 
in  commerce  from  the  less  valuable  ones  of  the  West.  See  Migne, 
as  cited  at  217  n. 
\  g  5.  So  in  the  Life  of  St.  Margaret,  once  ascribed  to  Barbour,  the 
pearl  '  is  lytil  and  rond  alsa '  (17),  and  in  Lydgate's  Life  '  rounde 
and  small'  (34).     Cf   190,  738,  and  p.  28. 

6.  smal.  Cf.  190.  Ladies  are  frequently  thus  described  in 
Romance  ;  cf  Erie  of  Tolous  352  :  '  Hur  syde  longe,  hyr  myddyll 
small.'    So  E.  E.  T.  S.   15.  76.  54  ;   Bo7ie  Florence  393,  479. 

7.  Cf  Morte  Arth.  862  :  '  The  gentileste  jowelle  ajuggede  with 
lordes.' 

9.  erbere.  'The  original  characteristic  of  the  "arbour" 
seems  to  have  been  the  floor  and  "  benches  "  of  herbage  ;  in  the 
modern  idea  (since  the  1 6th  c.  at  least)  the  leafy  covering  is  the 
prominent  feature.'  — N.  E.  D. 

10.  hit.  The  sudden  change  from  the  neut.  pron.  (cf.  13,  41) 
indicates  an  imperfect  identification  of  the  symbol  with  the  object 
symbolized.  It  seems  the  more  remarkable,  since  in  Pur.  1117- 
I128  the  fern.  pron.  only  is  used  of  the  pearl,  and  that  too  without 
any  evident  personification.    Cf.  p.  xxxv,  and  737  and  n. 


ilioteflf  55 

II.    deivyne,    for    divyne  ;    cf.    do-wyne,    326;     boro^t,    6z8,    .//, 
A*r«re,  854,  m^wyi/fr,   1063.  ,^f  ^C       '^ 

of  luf-daungere.      Construe  with  </£"U)y;if.      ^  J>^** 

17.  l^at.    'Which  [being  missed]   doth'  etc. 
Jrange.      Cf.  Burns,  Ho/y  Fair  18  :   '  thick  an'  thrang.' 

18.  Cf.    Destr.   Troy    5052:    <  bolne  at    be   brest    all    for   bale 
angre'  ;  also   5066. 

19.  sange-    Meaning  perhaps  this  poem,  or  at  least  the  poet's 
first  conception  of  it.    See  p.  xvii,  n.  2. 

22.   Cf.  215  ;   320,  857,  and  nn. 

25>   35-      spysej.    In  0.    E.   Misc.    98,   a    virgin    is    called 

♦  swetture    ban   eny   spis.'      Spices    grow   in    the   garden   of   love, 

Rom.  Rose  I  331  ff. ,  and  in  the  land  of  Cockaygne  ;  cf  43  n.,  46  n. 

With  the  thought  of  this  stanza  and  the  next  G.  compares  Ham/. 

c    2  * 

^'      ■  And  from  her  fair  and  unpolluted  flesh 

May  violets  spring. 

Irt  Memoriam  18  : 

And  from  his  ashes  may  be  made 
The  violets  of  his  native  land. 
Herrick's  Dirge  of  yep ht ha  bears  closer  resemblance: 
Sleep  in  thy  peace,  thy  bed  of  spice, 
And  make  this  place  all  Paradise  : 
May  sweets  grow  here !   and  smoke  them  hence 

Fat  frankincense. 
Let  balm  and  cassia  send  their  scent 
From  out  thy  maiden  monument. 

26.  Cf  958.  G.  cites  Pur.  1079:  '  ber  watj  rose  reflayr 
where  rote  hatj  ben  euer.' 

27.  Of  Romance  origin.  Cf.  Rom.  Rose  S()b:  '  Ne  fleur  inde, 
jaune,  ne  blanche'  ;  also  141 3,  1556;  Guillaume  de  Machault, 
ed.  Tarbe,  p.  12  j  '  Fleurettes  Blanches,  jaunes,  vermillettes ;' 
Jubinal,  Nowv.  Recueil  58  ;  J.  de  Conde,  ed.  Scheler,  3.  4.  94,  95  ; 
Chaucer,  Pari.  Fou/es  186;    Dunbar,   TAist/e  and  Rose  18,   19. 

30.  dunne.  For  the  adj.  thus  used  as  a  noun  see  190  and  n. , 
1050  and  n. 

33.   Cf.  Milton,  P.  L   9.  973  :  '  For  of  good  still  good  proceeds. ' 
38.    erber.     In  apposition  with  spot. 


56  ^Ott& 


39.   See  p.  xvi. 

41.  huyle.  Not  'while'  as  in  M.  and  G.  ;  the  meaning 
•  mound  '  is  indicated  hy  per,  and  the  general  context  j  cf.  also  62  j 
1172,  iI73j  1205. 

hit.      See  384  n. 

43.  In  Alex.  5426  serpents  eat  of '  gyloffre  &  of  gingere. '  The 
same  spices,  with  mace,  galingale,  '  sedwale  '  and  '  canel,'  grow  all 
on  one  tree  in  Land  of  Cockaygne  71—77. 

44.  pyonys.  Peonies  are  ranked  in  beauty  with  roses  and  lilies 
by  Froissart,  U Espinette  Amoureuse  306;  La  Prison  Amoureuse  876. 

45  f.  The  protasis  and  apodosis  are  here  equivalent  to  '  not  only, 
.   .    .   but  also.    ..." 

46.  Wisdom  says  :  '  Sicut  cinnamomum  et  balsamum  aromati- 
zans  odorem  dedi  :  quasi  myrrha  electa  dedi  suavitatem  odoris,' 
Ecclesiasticus  24.  20.  The  passage  is  in  the  Epistle  appointed  for 
the  '  hyj  seysoun,'  39. 

50.  So  'carej  colde,'  808.  A  common  phrase  in  M.  E.  Thus 
Aivnt.  Arth.  151,  2  :  'Now  ame  I  caujte  oute  of  kide  to  cares 
so  colde,  into  care  am  I  caughte'  ;  Boddeker  104.  61  :  '  y  kippe& 
cacche  cares  ful  colde'  ;   cf.    153.  52.   51.      Cf.  339- 

51.  deruely  is  an  adj.  at  Cun.  Mundi  1143  ('bold,  rash  '):  'J>i 
derriy  dede  has  liknes  nan.'  Regularly  an  adv.  (==  '  quickly  '),  as 
at  Pur.  632,   1641;   Pat.  1 10;    Gaiv.  2334  (== 'boldly'), 

52.  Cf.  665  n.  As  Schofield  notes.  Reason  in  similar  manner 
comforts  the  lover  in  Rom.  Rose. 

53.  Identical  rimes  occur  also  at  1 108,  1112;  cf.  p.  xlvii. 

55-  kynde  of  Kryst  is  in  strongest  contrast  with  mywrecAed 
•wylle,  56  ;   see  290  n. 

56.  Introverted  alliteration.  The  other  examples  are  74,  143, 
287,  290,  862,  960,  1027,   1093,  1171. 

59.  In  Pat.  192  Jonah  is  upbraided  for  sleeping  during  'such 
sla^tes  of  sorje'  as  the  storm  at  sea  5  and  in  the  Morte  Art.  2676, 
slain  birds  are  '  sleghte  one  slepe  with  slaughte  of  J>e  pople.'  Slyde 
and  slyppe  are  both  used  of  going  to  sleep.    Cf.  Destr.  Troy  it,  2378. 

64.    Cf.  Gaiv.  93,  95  : 

Of  sum  auenturus  hyng  an  vncou^e  tale, 
Of  sum  mayn  meruayle,  J>at  he  myjt  trawe. 
Of  alderes,  of  armes,  of  oJ?er  auenturus. 


i^oteg  57 

65.  Cf.  Chauc.  House  of  Fame,  1 28  ff. ;  TVyn.  and  Wait.  46-48  : 
And  I  was  swythe  in  a  sweuen  sweped  be-lyue. 
Me  thoghte  I  was  in  the  werlde  1  ne  wiste  in  whate  ende, 
One  a  loueliche  lande  t>at  was  ylike  grene. 

68.  rych  rokke^.  Not  from  Mandeville  (Schofield,  190), 
but,  like  'rich  river'  (cf.  105  n. ),  a  convention  of  alliterative 
poetry.      Cf.  Gol.  and  Gaiv.  238. 

71.  webbej.  Such,  perhaps,  as  those  \nAlex.  1524:  '  Of 
Inde,  Of  bright  blysnand  blew,  browden  with  sternes.'  In  the 
same  passage  the  bishop  is  attired  '  With  erst  an  abite  vndire  all. 
....  Fulle  of  bridis  &  of  bestis,  of  bise  &  of  purpre  ;  And  t>at 
was  garnest  full  gay  with  golden  skirtis.  Store  star  and  stanes, 
strekilland  all  ouire,  Sandid  full  of  safirs. '  Then  a  cape  *  With  riche 
rabies  of  gold  railed  bi  f>e  hemmes,  A  vestoure  ...  of  violet 
floures,  Wrojt  full  of  wodwose  and  oj^er  wild  bestis.'  Then  doc- 
tors '  in  tonacles  of  tarrayn  webbis,  .  .  .  bret-fuU  of  bees  all  \>e 
body  ouire.'  So  in  fVyn.  and  Wast.  91  ff.  is  a  mantle  '  brouderde 
with  fewlys,  ffawkons  of  fyne  golde  flakerande  with  wynges  '  ; 
and  a  belt  embroidered  '  with  drakes  and  with  dukkes  daderande 
}>am  semede  ffor  ferdnes  of  fawcons  fete,  less  fawked  Jiay  were.' 
Cf.  the  tapestry  'stuffed  wyth  ymagerye  '  in  Emare  82—168,  and 
see  the  colored  reproductions  in  Viollet-le-Duc,  Dictionnaire  du 
Mobilier,  vol.  3. 

74.  crystal  klyffe^.  Cf  159.  Crystal  is  a  frequent  embel- 
lishment in  M.  E.  poetry.  Cf  Land  of  Cockaygne  ii%  ;  Destr.  Troy 
8752.    In  Alex.  4825  is  a  crystal  cliff. 

75.  holte-'WOdej.  The  same  compound  in  Phoenix  171; 
Gaiv.  742;   Destr.    Troy  1350. 

76  f.  Such  grouping  of  similes  is  common  in  The  Pearl.  It 
occurs  at  114,  I15;  212,  213  ;  607,  608;  801,802;  1018, 
1025,  1026  ;  II 12,  1 1 15.  It  appears  also  in  the  other  poems  by 
our  author,  especially  in  Pur.  and  Pat.,,  and  has  important  bearing 
upon  the  question  of  common  authorship.    See  Thomas,  p.   12. 

76  ff.  A  similar  tree  is  found  in  Priam's  palace,  Destr.  Troy 
4960  ff.  : 

The  bole  was  of  bright  gold,  bret  to  \>t  myddes, 

The  brede  of  his  bowes  borly  to  se. 


58  j^Ote0 

Large  and  longe  (light  as  the  sun) 

The  braunches  were  borly,  sum  of  bright  gold, 

Sum  siluer  for  sothe,  semlist  of  hew  ; 

With  leuys  full  luffly,  light  of  \>e  same  ; 

With  burions  above  bright  to  beholde 

And  frut  on  yt  fourmyt  fairest  of  shap 

])at  shemert  as  shire  as  any  shene  stonys. 

Cf.  the  tree  of  the  sun,  ^Icx.  5002  fF.  : 

J)ire  boles  was  as  \>e  boke  sayes,  borly  &  hije, 
pe  lind  of  \>e  lijt  sone,  louely  clethid, 
With  feylour  as  of  fine  gold  )>at  ferly  faire  lemes, 
pat  o]nT  loken  ouire  with  leues  as  it  ware  lijt  siluir. 

In  the  temple  of  the  sun  are  gold  vines  with  fruit  of  carbuncles  and 
pearls,  Alex.  4899  fF.  5  cf.  3666  fF.  ;  and  the  garden  of  Fortune 
{^Morte  Art.  3243)  is  filled  with  silver  vines  bearing  gold  grapes. 
Such  landscape  as  this  in  The  Pearl  is  ascribed  by  Coli  to  an  oriental 
origin  (//  Paradho   Terrestre  p.  1 61). 

80.  schymerynge.    Not  an  adjective. 
83.  am  is  to  be  supplied. 
87.   Cf.  Bocc.  35fF.  : 

Non  sentis  odores 
Insolitos  silvis,  ncmus  hoc  si  forte  sabeum 
Fecisset  natura  parens  ? 

The  fragrance  of  fruit  is  noticed  at  Alex.  4809,  where  are  '  bery- 
bobis  .  .  .  brethand  as  mirre.'  Cf.  Chauc,  Cant.  Tales  A  3262. 
89  ff.  A  passage  far  exceeding  in  its  exquisite  beauty  the  longer 
bird-passages  in  Rom.  Rose  480  ff.,  647  fF.  ;  Book  of  the  Duchess 
294  fF.,  and  in  sweet  spontaneity,  Cowper's  Miltonic  lines  ^Task  I. 
200  fF. )  : 

Ten  thousand  warblers  cheer  the  day,  and  one 
The  livelong  night ;  nor  these  alone,  whose  notes 
Nice-fingered  art  must  emulate  in  vain. 

It  is  approached  in  spontaneity  by  Pari,  of  the  Thre  Ages  13—15. 
The  whole  passage  of  this  inaccessible  text  may  be  quoted  as  a 
charming  description  of  the  dawn  : 


j^ote0  59 

Als  I  habade  one  a  banke  be  a  bryme  syde, 

There  the  gryse  was  grene  growen  with  floures  — 

The  primrose,  the  pervynke,  and  piliole  be  riche  — 

The  dewe  appon  dayses  donkede  full  faire, 

Burgons  &  blossoms  &  braunches  full  swete, 

And  the  mery  mystes  full  myldely  gane  falle. 

The  cukkowe,  the  cowschote  —  kene  were  \>ay  bothen  ; 

And  the  throstills  full  throly  threp[d]en  in  the  bankes, 

And  iche  foule  in  that  frythe  faynere  ban  ober 

That  the  derke  was  done  &  the  daye  lightenede. 

91,  sytole-string.  N.  E.  D.,  s.  v.  cito/e,  cites  Stainer, 
Music  of  the  Bible,  p.  51  ;   and  Grove,  Diet.  Mus.  s.  v. 

gyternere.      g'  is  hard  ;   cf.  O.  F.  guiteme. 

The  poet's  art  is  shown  in  preferring  the  mention  of  two  instru- 
ments to  the  longer  lists  usual  in  Romance  poetry.  Both  *  citole  ' 
and  '  gyterne  *  are  included  in  the  lists  at  Rom.  Rose  22031  ff.  (cf. 
22018),  and  in  Guill.  de  Machault,  ed.  Scheler,  p.  87  ;  and  the 
'  gynterne  '  in  Deschamps,  Ballade  cxxiv. 

03.  So  the  poet  represents  the  birds  poised  on  the  branches  of 
the  golden  candlesticks,  Pur.  1484  :  ♦  As  }>ay  with  wynge  vpon 
wynde  hade  waged  her  fyberes.' 

105.  Cf.   Gaiv.  511: 

And  blossumej  blue  to  blowe 
Bi  rawej  rych  and  ronk. 

rych  reuerej.  The  phrase  is  common  in  M.  E.  alliterative 
verse;  cf.  Morte  Arth.  62,  1455,  2279  ;  Gol.  and  Gaio.  248  ; 
Alex.  4822. 

106.  fyldor.  Gold  thread  or  or  de  Cypre  of  the  Middle  Ages, 
much  used  in  embroideries  ( Migne,  Diet,  d '  Orfe-vrerie  Chretienne, 
S.  V.  or).  The  poet  doubtless  thinks  of  it  as  so  applied  here,  and 
there  is  no  little  poetic  force  in  the  conception  of  a  slope  covered 
with  leaves  and  flowers  as  embroidered  in  bright  colors.  Cf.  the 
starry  turf  in  Van  Eyck's  Adoration  of  the  Lamb.  '  Fildore  '  is 
inwoven  with  the  mane  of  the  green  knight's  horse  in  Gaiv.   189. 

brent.  Prob. 'steep'  as  at  Par.  379,  Gaiv.  2165,  though  M.  and 
G.  render  'bright,'  confusing  with  brend,  burnt,  989;  Gaiv.  195. 
108.   Lorde  1    Cf.  1149,  1199-    More  dignified  than  now. 


6o  j^otes! 

111.  S'wangeande.  A  different  word  from  s-wange,  1059  ; 
perhaps  it  should  be  spelled  sivengeande  <  O.  E.  sivengan,  rush. 
A  kindred  noun  occurs  at  Destr.  Troy  342,  where  a  river  '  with  a 
swonghe  and  a  swetnes  sweppit  on  \>e  grounde.' 

Ill  if.  The  description  of  the  river  in  Rom.  Rose  104-128  is 
at  once  more  diffuse  and  poorer  than  this.  No  mention  is  made  of 
jewels  in  the  'founce,'  though  they  occur  thus  in  a  description  by 
Watriquet,  Li  Dis  de  la  Fontaine  etc.  43-57.  Cf  the  M.  E. 
Floris  and  Blauncheflur  693  ff.  5  Land  of  Cockaygne  87-94.  If 
The  Pearl  is  here  dependent  on  the  Mandeville  description  of  a  lake 
in  Ceylon  (cf  Schofield  190),  it  is  strange  that  nothing  is  said  of 
pearls,  which  are  there  recorded  as  abounding  in  the  bottom  of  the 
lake.  The  viorA  founce,  113,  is  not  necessarily  a  bringing  over  of 
founs  in  Mandeville,  though  it  probably  is  so  at  Pur.  1026  ;  cf. 
Brown,  p.  149.  The  word  occurs  in  the  same  connection  in  the 
French  passages  just  cited,  and  at  Alex.  4130. 

112.  rourde.  The  word  has  figurative  force  here,  as  shown 
by  its  origin,  and  by  its  use  at  Pur.  390;  Pat.  64;  Gaiv.  1 149, 
19 16,  where,  in  each  case,  it  refers  to  the  sound  of  voices.  At 
Gaiv.  1698  is  mentioned  the  '  rurde  of  homes '  at  the  hunt. 

114.  See  76  n. 

115.  Strojje.  M.  guessed  'bold,  fierce,'  <  O.  E.  strupan ; 
Stratmann  {Diet.)  derives  from  O.  N.  stropinn  ;  G.  [Acad.  40.  37) 
accepts  stropinn,  defining  'lewd,  licentious.'  In  Gaiv.  1710  the 
hunted  fox  '  stelej  out  ful  stilly  bi  a  strothe  rande.'  The  context 
indicates  'hidden,  close,  secure,'  a  meaning  not  inappropriate  here. 
E.  M.  Wright  [Eng.  Stud.  36.  223)  associates  with  Scott,  strouthy, 
'strong'  {Eng.  Dial.  Diet.),  and  makes  strothe  in  Gaiv.  another 
word. 

With  115,  116  cf  Chaucer,  C.  T.,  Prol.  2,68  (cited  by  K61- 
bing),  where  eyes  shine  '  As  doon  the  sterres  in  the  frosty  night.' 
Cf  Alex.  3796  :  '  As  ai  stremande  sternes  stared  all  ('aire  wedis  '; 
and  Destr.  Troy  7348  :  'The  sternes  full  stithly  starond  o  lofte.' 
These  passages  illustrate  the  superiority  of  this  simile  in  The  Pearl, 
both  in  application  and  expression,  even  as  compared  with  Chaucer. 
Out  of  the  liquid,  receding  depths  of  the  stream  shine  these  trem- 
bling points  of  light  in  colors  pure  and  varied,  as  the  stars  gleam, 
'  far-drawn  and  remote,'  from  the  blue  depths  of  a  winter  sky.  See 
1093  and  n. 


j^otr0  6 1 

126.  bredful.  Scandinavian.  The  native  word  brurdful 
(O.  E.  brerd)  occurs  at  Pur.  383. 

128.  Cf.  Got.  and  Gaiv.  276  :  '  Or  he  be  strenyeit  with 
strenth.' 

131  f.  A  similar  thought  at  1195  ;  cf.  ^lex.  4397  :  "  Bot  ay 
mekill  wold  haue  mare,  as  many  man  spellis  '  ;  and  the  fine  warn- 
ing in  Go/,  and  Gaiv.  287  ff.  : 

The  wy  that  wendis  forto  were,  quhen  he  wenys  best, 

All  his  will  in  this  warld,  with  welthis  Iwys, 

Yit  sail  be  licht  as  leif  of  the  lynd  lest, 

That  welteris  doun  with  the  wynd,  sa  wauerand  it  is. 

On  the  poet's  attitude  toward  Fortune  compared  with  the  fashion 
of  his  time  see  p.  liv,  n.  2. 

^34-   ^^-  Destr.   Troy  307:    '  I  haue  no  tome  for  to  telle.' 
137  f.   So  Guill.  de  Machault  of  the  garden  of  his  vision,  Dit 
du  P^ergier,  (Ewvres  13  : 

Je  ne  scay  que  ce  pooit  estre 

Fors  que  le  paradis  terrestre. 

And  Watriquet,  Dit  de  la  Feste  du  Comte  de  Flandre  58  f.  : 

Car  il  sembloient  a  la  gent 

De  paradis  fussent  issu. 

Cf.  Rom.  Rose  640 ;  Watriquet,  Li  Tournois  des  Dames  52  ff. ;  Alex. 

139.  hoped.    Not  with  modern  meaning  ;  cf.  142,   185. 

140.  myrjpej.  M.  [Acad.  39.  603)  suggests  myrche^^ 
'boundaries.'  G's  suggested  reading,  '  Bytwene  merej  by  Myrthe 
made,'  seems  more  probable  ;  he  points  out  that  it  is  Mirth  (Deduis) 
who  contrives  the  conduits  by  which  the  wells  are  fed  in  Rom.  Rose 
1391-1403,  thus  rendered  in  the  M.  E.  version  :  '  stremys  smale 
that  by  devyse  Mirthe  hadde  done  come  through  condyse. '  But 
the  garden  in  Rom.  Rose  was  not  Paradise,  and  one  may  ques- 
tion whether  our  poet  would  transfer  Guillaume's  Mirth  to  his 
own  description  of  this  place. 

146.  Preposition  frequently  postpositive  in  the  relative  clause  ;  so 
425,  656,  824,  957,  1 132;  rel.  om.,925;  other  cases,  apparently 
due  to  requirement  of  rime,  &c.  :  146,  438,  464,  470,  598,  676, 
734,   1054,  I  127- 


62  j|iOtf0 

149  ff.  Cf.  Rom.  Rosi  497  ff.  : 

Quant  j'o'i  les  oisiaus  chanter, 
Forment  me  pris  a  dementer 
Par  quel  art  ne  par  quel  engin 
Je  porroie  entrer  ou  jardin. 

162.  mayden  of  menske.    Schofield  {M.  L.  P.  19.  172) 

associates  this  phrase  with  a  similar  expression  in  Seinte  Marharete, 
E.  E.  T.  S.  13,  p.  14,  1.  27,  but  the  combination  was  frequent; 
cf.  Boddeker,  Gloss,  s.  v.  memke;  Pari,  of  the  Thre  Ages  114. 
On  the  maiden's  age  in  Paradise  see  supra,  p.  xxv,  n.  3. 

164  ff.  In  radiance  and  feeling  this  portrait  surpasses  similar 
contemporary  ones.  Cf.  Chaucer,  Book  of  the  Duchess  817  fF., 
Ferumbras  c^iSoff.,  Destr.    7Vo)'  301 9-3084. 

165.  golde  ]>&t  man  con  schere.    I.  e.,  gold  cut  into 

fine  threads  ;  the  Pearl's  hair  is  compared  to  schorne  goUe,  213  ; 
cf.j3'/i/or^n,  io6and  n.  ;  Gaiv.  189.  The  meaning  '  purify  '  (M. 
and  G. )  is  impossible,  since  ( i )  initial  Scand.  sk  is  in  all  cases  pre- 
served in  these  poems  (Knigge  88)  ;  (2)  the  participle  ofskere  would 
not  be,  as  he  makes  it,  schorne,  213.  Although  fil  d' or  was  pro- 
duced by  stretching  (cf.  Migne,  Diet,  d' Orfe-vrerie  Chret.  s.  v. 
or),  the  poet  may  think  of  the  skeins  cut  into  the  proper  length 
for  use  in  embroidery. 

168.  Cf.  180,  600.  The  combination  of  lenger  and  more  was 
a  M.  E.  idiom.     Cf  Chaucer,  Complaint  unto  Pity  94-9S  : 

Let  som  streem  of  your  light  on  me  be  sene 
That  love  and  drede  you,  ay  lenger  the  more. 

Squieres  Tale  404:  '  Ever  lenger  the  more'  ;  0.  E.  Horn.  i.  215  : 
'so  lengre  so  more.'  The  poet's  fondness  of  playing  with  these 
comparatives  leads  him  into  incoherent  extravagance  at  600. 

M.  construes  this  line  with  169,  making  no  pause.  I  have 
followed  G.  in  construing  168  with  the  preceding  lines,  and  169 
with  170  ff".  This  makes  the  syntax  of  169  ff".  somewhat  loose, 
but  the  fault  is  common  in  this  poem. 

169  ff.  In  their  emotional  quality  the  next  two  stanzas  are 
among  the  loveliest  of  the  poem,  revealing  as  they  do  the  poet's 
ecstasy,  his  sudden  diffidence,  a  sharp  involuntary  pang  of  remorse 
as  the  maiden's  eyes  meet  his,  his  fear  that  she  may  vanish  before 


Motta  63 

he  can  speak,  and  yet  his  natural  perturbation  at  a  ghostly  appari- 
tion —  then  his  agony  interrupted  and  forgotten  as  the  maiden  in 
her  unearthly  beauty  rises  and  comes  toward  him.  The  sudden 
self-conscious  embarrassment  (174),  coming  at  the  moment  in  his 
transport  when  the  dreamer  tries  to  act,  is  observed  with  exquisite 
precision. 

184.  hawk.  The  falcon  is  an  image  of  good  appearance  at 
Boddeker  146.  255  Candace  {Alex.  5257)  'was  so  faire  &  so 
fresche,  as  faucon  hire  semed.' 

185.  Cf.  Bocc.  5  ff.  : 

Nam  coram  genite  voces  et  dulcis  ymago 

Stant  equidem  ;  timeo  falli,  quia  sepe  per  umbras 

Illusere  dij  stolidos. 

188.  Perhaps  an  allusion  to  the  old  belief  that  a  ghost  cannot 
speak  until  it  has  been  spoken  to.  See  Brand,  Pop.  Ant.,  ed. 
Ellis,  London,  1849,  3.  70. 

190.  seme  slyjt.  Cf.  30,  189,260,  386,  880,  919,  1050 
and  n. 

191.  araye  ryalle.  Cf.  Pur.  812.  Such  combinations  are 
found  much  later  j  cf.  Spenser's  Pride  '  in  royall  rich  array  '  {F.  ^ 
1.4.  17). 

195.  Cf.  753,  and  Rom.  Rose  1005  :  '  Blanche  comme  flor  de 
lis  '5   Deschamps,  Ballade  940,  (Eu-vres,  ed.  le  Queux,  5.  186. 

196.  Cf.  Alex.  5243  :  '  \>a\  bow  up  to  a  banke  &  he  burgh 
nejes '  ;  and  Destr.  Troy  5863  :  '  bowet  fro  the  batell  to  \>e  bonke 
side.'    Cf.  974. 

197.  bleaunt  of  biys.  G.  reads  beau  mys  (accepted  by  M., 
Acad.  39.  602),  making  OTji  =  d»2yi,  'amice'  ;  this  is  untenable  on 
three  accounts  :  ( i  )  the  aphetic  form  mys  is  unknown  5(2)  neither 
of  the  two  kinds  of  amice  —  whether  the  priest's  fur  hood,  or  the 
square  of  white  linen  worn  on  the  head  by  the  celebrant  —  would 
have  been  in  any  way  appropriate  here  ;  ( 3  )  't  cannot  rightly  be 
distorted  to  mean  'tunic'  (G.,  ed.,  14.  5  n.),  and  in  its  proper 
sense  does  not  correspond  to  the  description  in  the  following  lines 
(cf.  Planche,  Cyclopedia  of  Costume  1.  7).  In  making  any  cor- 
rection of  the  line  the  whole  description  of  the  girl's  costume  must 
be  considered.  It  appears  to  be  that  of  the  late  fourteenth  century. 
First   is    the    close-fitting    for/c/  (203),    reaching    from   shoulders 


64  i^ote0 

to  feet,  and  having  long,  close-fitting  sleeves.  Over  this  is  the 
bleaunt  (163),  or  surcot,  of  looser  cut,  sometimes  sleeveless,  some- 
times having  loose  sleeves  reaching  to  the  elbows,  whence  hung 
long  '  lappej  '  (201 ).  That  these  belonged  to  the  bleaunt,  and  not 
to  the  kirtle,  appears  from  Morte  Arth.  3255,  where  Fortune 
wears  a  surcott  'with  ladily  lappes  the  lenghe  of  a  jerde.'  These 
laps  were  sometimes  loose  folds,  but  later  mere  strips,  and  nearly 
reached  the  ground.  The  surcot  or  bleaunt  was  sometimes  cut 
open  at  the  sides  from  the  bottom  toward  the  waist  (^-vpon  at  sydef, 
198),  through  which  openings  a  kirtle  of  '  self  sute  *  would  ap- 
pear. This  last  feature  was  more  common  in  the  fifteenth  century 
(cf.  Racinet,  Le  Costume  Historijue  vol.  4,  pi.  C.  P.  ).  The  surcot, 
when  sleeveless,  had  wide  openings  at  the  sides  reaching  from  the 
shoulder  to  the  waist,  but  these  openings  can  hardly  be  designated 
in  198,  since,  in  the  absence  of  sleeves,  there  could  be  no  laps. 
Holman  Hunt,  in  the  frontispiece  designed  for  G.'s  edition,  gives 
the  maiden  such  a  surcot,  and  attaches  the  laps  to  the  kirtle.  I  am 
unable  to  discover  that  such  an  arrangement  is  historic.  See  Viollet- 
le-Duc,  Diet.  Raisonne  du  Mobilier  Fran^ais  3  and  4,  s.  v.  bliaut, 
cotte,  surcot;  H.  Weiss,  Kostumkunde  4.  76— 80  ;  Planche,  Cycl., 
s.  V.  kirtle.  Finally,  considering  rime,  alliteration,  and  sense,  a 
possible  reading  for  beau  mys  is  bleaunt  of  biys,  1.  e.,  surcot  of  fine 
linen  (cf.  Rev.  19.  8).  In  partial  support  of  this  emendation,  it 
should  be  noticed  that  b  and  -v  are  almost  identical  characters  in  the 
MS.,  and  that  in  writing  uiys  the  scribe  may  have  read  "v  for  b,  and 
written  u,  which  he  frequently  interchanges  with  -v.  Cf  nine  ex- 
amples in  Matzner,  s.  v.  bis,  among  which  is  a  '  curtuU  of  purpur 
bys,'  Launfal  284. 

200.   y^en.    Doubtless  here  intended  as  an  oxytone  for  rime. 

203.  In  Darius'  hall  of  gold  [Alex.  2927  ff. )  were 

pe  burde  and  be  benche  betyn  of  ^e  same. 
The  vessell  to  vyse  on  veraly  of  \>e  same, 
And  all  \>e  sale  of  a  sute. 

Less  remote  is  Pur.   1457  —  basins  of  gold  'and  eweres  of  sute  '; 

cf.  Chauc. ,  Cant.   Tales  A  3242.     Supply  "wat^  ;    cf.  83. 

204.  Cf.  Eri.  78  f.  : 

Al  wt  glisnande  golde  his  gowne  wos  hemmyd, 
W  mony  a  precious  perle  picchit  ber-one. 


iliotr0  65 

209.  Perhaps  in  allusion  to  the  elaborate  head-dress  of  the  poet's 
time,  or  of  such  figures  in  Rom.  Rose  as  Oiseuse,  Raison,  and 
Richesse.  Girls  wore  their  hair  more  simply,  however  ;  see  Struct, 
Dress  and  Habits  of  England  2,  pi.  89. 

herle.  The  word  occurs  at  Ga-w.  190,  meaning  'twist,  fiUet,' 
such  as  would  be  imbraided  with  the  hair.  Alliteration  suggests  it 
as  the  reading  here.  The  sense  would  then  be,  '  On  her  head  she 
had  no  imbraided  fillet  besides.' 

210.  The  difficulties  of  this  line  consist  in  the  MS.  reading  lere 
leke,  and  in  •vmbegon.  The  passage  is  almost  certainly  defective.  I 
have  taken  here-leke  as  meaning  '  locks  of  hair,'  and  -vmbegon  as  pres. 
3  pi. ,  with  hyr  as  its  object.  On  the  other  hand,  in  Gain.  1830,  leke 
is  a  pret. ,  meaning  apparently  '  hung  '  (O.N.  leika  ?,  pret.  lek).  If 
in  Pearl  2  10  we  render  leke  '  hung,'  then  -vmbegon  must  be  a  passive 
part.,  'surrounded,  encircled,'  which  cannot  be  construed}  nor, 
apparently,  is  umbegon  ever  intransitive,  as  G.  assumes. 

211.  her  semblaunt  sade.  So  Destr.  Troy  3791,  'Sad 
of  his  semblaundes.'    Cf.  Gol.  and  Gaiv.  428. 

for  doc  Ojjer  erle.  A  common  tag  in  M.  E.  poetry  j  see 
Destr.  Troy  9799,  12694;  Alex.  64,  1 166;  Morte  Arth.  409, 
Z626,  35295  Bone  Florence  838  ;  also  Baudouin  de  Conde,  ed. 
Scheler,  l.  268.  19.  The  meaning  of  the  line  is,  '  her  countenance 
demure  enough  to  suit,  or  befit,  duke  or  earl,'  as  is  indicated  by  Alex. 
5298  :  '  It  ware  a  daynte  to  deme  for  any  duke  oute.'  So  Morte 
Arth.  194 1  :  '  Thow  arte  demyde,  with  dukes  and  erlej,  ffor  one 
doughtyeste. ' 

212.  whallej  bon.  Though  from  the  walrus,  ivory  was  gen- 
erally called  whale's  bone.  The  simile  is  common  ;  cf  Boddeker 
156.  40;  157.  67;  Wynn.  and  Wast.  181.  On  the  double  simile 
in  212  f.  see  76  n. 

212  ff.  Not  unlike  the  description  of  the  angels  who  visited  Lot 
in  Sodom,  Pur.  790—794. 

215.  colour.  At  753  colour  implies  whiteness,  but  here  a 
ruddy  hue.  This  mingling  of  white  and  red  is  a  convention  ;  cf. 
Destr.  Troy  304  f  : 

Hir  chekes  full  choise  as  the  chalke  white, 

As  the  rose  was  the  rud  J)at  raiked  hom  in. 

Cf  Boddeker   156.  34;   Watriquet,  Dn  de  la   Feste  du  Conte  de 


66  Jl5otf0 


Flandre  295  :  'si  vermaus  et  si  blanz  '  ;  also  ib.  171,  186,  272, 
273. 

217  ff.  The  lavish  use  of  pearls  in  the  adornment  of  women's 
attire  was  increasingly  fashionable  from  the  middle  of  the  fourteenth 
century.  See  citations  in  Migne,  Diet.  cT  Orfc-vrerie  Caret,  s.  v. 
perle.  Ladies  in  Froissart  are  '  drut  perlees'  [Parad.  d' Amours  968  ; 
Prison  Am.  395  ). 

218.  at  honde.  Cf.  Chaucer,  Prol.  193  :  '  ]  seigh  his  sleues 
purfiled  at  the  hond.' 

221.  perle.  Likethegreat  carbuncle  on  the  crown  of  Richesse 
in  Rom.  Rose  1 05 9- 1 114. 

221.  wythouten  wemme.  Cf  737,  1003,  and  p.  xxxii. 

223-228.  Cf.  Dante's  recognition  of  Beatrice  in  Paradise  ( Purg. 
31.  I  39-145,  tr.  Butler)  ;  '  O  splendor  of  eternal  living  light,  who 
is  there  that  has  in  such  wise  grown  pale  beneath  the  shadow  of 
Parnassus,  or  has  drunk  at  its  cistern,  that  he  would  not  seem  to 
have  his  mind  encumbered,  trying  to  render  thee  as  thou  appeardest, 
.    .   .    when  thou  didst  in  the  open  air  disclose  thyself.? ' 

224.  malte.  The  meaning  'sink,  melt  (into),  enter'  is  sug- 
gested by  Pur.  776,  1566,  Ga-w.  2080,  Erk.  158  ;  malte  in  hit 
mesure  may  mean  'enter  into  (comprehend)  its  measure  of  excel- 
lence. ' 

225.  Like  Boccaccio  in  another  connection,  Eel.  14.  273  f.  : 

Quis  gaudia  silve 
Enumerare  queat  ?    {^uis  verbis  pandere  ^    Nemo  ! 

But  the  device  is  common  in  the  poetry  of  the  time.  Cf.  1082, 
1090,  1 1 54. 

230.  water.  In  this  construction  really  a  genitive,  though  not 
regarded  as  such,  since  a  phrase  like  on  •wyper  half  has  come  to 
be  regarded  as  a  compound  preposition.  Matzner  cites  (  Worterb. 
407^):  'A  J'as  half  ))ere  Humbre,'  Layamon,  2.  162  (ed. 
Madden);    '  on  o^er  half  t>es  wateres,'   0.  E.  Misc.  146. 

231.  hej?en  in  to  Grece.  So  Ga-w.  2025  :  '  )>e  gayest  in 
to  Grece';  cf.  Rom.  Rose  542  f  : 

N'avoit  jusqu'en  Jherusalen 
Fame  qui  plus  biau  col  portast. 

Constantinople  is  mentioned  in  the  same  manner  in  Baudouin  de 


^ott&  67 

Conde,   ed.  Scheler,    i.   i.  9  ;  Jean  de  Conde,  ib.    2.   291.    24; 

Froissart,    U Espinette  Amoureuse  578  ;   La  Prison  Amoureuse  bj . 
So   Boddeker    166.   18  : 

one  of  hem  ich  herie  best 
from  Irlond  in  to  Ynde. 

Cf.  Anglia  15.   189. 
233.    See  p.  xxxi. 

235.  spece.  Rime  requires  spece,  and  etymology  allows  it, 
though  spyce  is  the  usual  spelling.  The  word  may  connote  '  spice  ' 
in  the  surviving  sense  ;  cf.  '  spice  swettist  of  sauior,'  of  the  Virgin, 
E.  E.  T.  S.  24.   5.  29,  and  47  n. 

236.  enclynande  lov^e.  So  Anectanabus  before  Olympias 
'  enclynes  hire  lawe,'  Aiex.  495  5  cf.  Destr.   Troy  2305,  2448. 

238.  lote.  Cf.  896  ;  Pat.  47;  Gaiv.  639,  '  gentlyest  knyjtof 
lote.' 

243.  by  myn  one.  Cf.  Gaiv.  1048,  'al  his  one';  1230, 
2245,  '  oure  one.' 

252.  jueler.  See  1-8.  The  frequency  of  the  epithet  may  be 
reminiscent  of  the  'jueler'  in  the  parable  of  the  pearl  of  great 
price  :  cf.  734  and  n.  No  symbolic  meaning  is  discernible,  how- 
ever. 

254,  y?en  graye.  The  ladies  of  Romance  usually  have  '  gray  * 
eyes  (meaning  blue?).  So  Watriquet,  Dit  de  la  Fate  du  Conte  de 
Flandre  67,  185  ;  Aivnt.  Arth.  599  ;  Boddeker  1 62.  24  ;  Chau- 
cer, Prol.   152  (cf.  Skeat'snote). 

272.  The  whole  passage  shows  both  an  imperfect  identification 
of  the  symbol  with  its  subject  (259-261),  and  some  confusion  of 
thought. 

274.  '  That  hath  clearly  made  for  thee  something  from  no- 
thing,' a  pearl  from  an  ephemeral  rose. 

280.    Cf.   1 197. 

283.  In  Boccaccio,  when  Silviusat  last  recognizes  in  Olympia's 
companions  his  other  dead  children,  he  proposes  games  in  honor  of 
Pan: 

Pueri,  nudate  palestras, 
Et  ludos  agitote  patrum. 
Wine,  garlands,  and  music  he  proposes  also,  and  Olympia  sings  the 
song  in  honor  of  Christ. 


68  jl^otes 


284.  Cf.  Bocc.  135  fF.: 

Quas  oras,  mea  nata,  refers  ?  quas,  deprecor,  oras  ? 

Nos  omnes  teget  ilia  domus,  somnosque  quietos 
Herba  dabit  viridis,  etc. 

285.  A  reminiscence,  perhaps,  of  Ps.  119  (Vulg.  118).  174, 
175  ;  or  I.  2.  Cf.  Erk.  287  f.:  '  )?i  laghes,  \>3X.  euer  \>ou,  lord, 
wos  lowyd  in.' 

290.  I  follow  G.  The  second  ^e  merely  reiterates  men  —  a  prac- 
tice common  in  the  poem  (see  384  n.)  ;  cf.  1 199  ;  also  55,  267, 
363,  1 166.  The  madness  of  opposing  one's  will  to  God's  is  an 
important  theme  of  the  poem. 

306.   Cf   650  n. 

309.  sorquydry^e.  The  unorganic  j  shows  that  in  this  posi- 
tion J  is  virtually  silent.  Cf.  rimes  in  st.  855  also  11.  645,  647, 
1 1 14,  1 1 16.     But  at  1075  ply^t  rimes  only  with  words  in  -y^t. 

313  f.  'Judge  now  thyself  whether  thou  didst  speak  idly  accord- 
ing to  the  words  which  man  ought  to  offer  to  God.' 

315.  bayly.  -ly  in  derivations  from  French  words  in  -/;'-  may 
be  either  silent  or  uttered,  as  if  it  were  M.  E.  -le.  In  313,  3iS> 
1083  it  is  silent,  as  shown  by  rimes;  in  34  it  is  pronounced,  and 
in  442  stressed.  This  bayly  is  to  be  distinguished  from  bayly  1083, 
being  of  different  meaning  and  origin.  The  same  variation  of  -y  is 
indicated  in />/eny  (O.  F.  p/eigner^,  streny  [estraindre),  549,  551;  cf. 
strayn,  691  ;  playned,  53  ;   also  atteny,  548;  repreny,  544,  and  n. 

320.  keue.  M.  renders  '  depart'  (Gloss.  ),  '  plunge  '  (note)  ; 
G.  guesses  'grow';  Stratmann,  'turn';  Murray  i^N.  E.  D. 
8.  V.  kcve)  says,  '  O.  N.  kefja,  to  dive,  sink,  has  been  suggested, 
but  is  scarcely  satisfactory  for  the  second  passage'  (i.  e.  981). 
Cf.  98  I  n.,  where  hreued  is  suggested  as  a  possible  reading.  Wright, 
Dialect  Diet. ,  s.  v.  cal-ve'^,  gives  the  definition  '  to  crack  in  clods, 
as  soil  does  in  dry  weather,'  and  a  form  kee-ve,  which,  however, 
is  referred  to  Suffolk. 

The  thought  of  mortal  decay  in  this  line  is  touched  at  22,  and 
857  and  n.  In  the  next  century  it  became  very  general,  as  is 
manifest  in  nearly  all  the  arts.  See  Triggs,  Lydgate'' s  Assembly  of 
Gods,  E.  E.  T.  S.  Extr.  Ser.  69.  xlii-1. 

324.  Cf.  a  similar  combination,  Pat.  312  :  '  In  on  daschande 
dam,  dryuej  me  ouer';   cf.  Pur.  416. 


J^OtC0  69 

325.  demej  pou.   Cf.  421  n. 
325-328.    Cf.  Bocc.   159  f.: 

In  lacrimis  oculos  fundam  tristemque  senectam 
Heu  quibus  in  silvis  post  anxia  fata  requiram  ? 

331-  men.  he^  332,  would  indicate  man  as  more  nearly  cor- 
rect, but  sudden  changes  of  number  are  characteristic  of  the  poet ; 
see  61 1  n. 

333-335.    'I  set  at  naught  death  and  banishment  if  (for  the 
rest  of  my  life)  I  am  to  endure  separation  from  my  pearl.'    His 
answer    is    an    outbreak    incoherent  with    impatience  and   despair 
( '  rapely  I  raue  ' ) ,  a  blind  plunging  and  shrieking  in  vain  against  the 
narrow  bounds  of  his  confinement  (  345  ff. ) .    An  interesting  parallel 
with  this  passage  is  Spenser,  F.  ^._  i.  10.  63,  where  the  Red  Cross 
Knight,  in  ecstasy  at  his  vision  of  the  New  Jerusalem,  exclaims: 
O  let  me  not  (quoth  he)  then  turne  againe 
Back  to  the  world,  whose  joyes  so  fruitlesse  are  ; 
But  let  me  here  for  aye  in  peace  remaine. 

334.  Cf.  Pur.  287,  where  God,  before  the  flood,  says:  'I 
schal  .   .   .    fleme  out  of  {>e  folde  al  bat  flesch  were^,'  i.  e.  destroy. 

336  ff.  Cf  Horstmann,  Rich.  Rolle  i.  44:  '  For  many  lufes 
God  whils  )>ai  er  in  ese,  and  in  adversite  |>ai  grotche,  &  falles 
in  swa  mykel  sarynes,  hat  vnneth  may  any  man  comforth  l^am ;  and 
swa  sclawnder  J^ai  God,  flytand  and  feghtand  agayne  his  domes. 
And  bat  es  a  caytif  louyng  bat  any  welth  of  be  worlde  makes  ; 
hot  bat  louyng  es  of  mykel  pryce  bat  na  violence  of  sorow  may  do 
away. ' 

339.  dyne  of  doel.   Cf.  51. 

lurej.  If  this  is  O.  E.  lyre,  it  is  the  only  case  in  this  poem 
except  358,  where  M.  E.  u  represents  y  («)  of  O.  E.,  though 
Knigge  cites  burde^  Gaiv.  613,  752,  942;  Pur.  378,  653  ;  fust. 
Pur.  1535  ;  Gaio.  391  ;  busmer,  Pur.  653.  Perhaps  we  should 
read  lyrej.    lure^  of  358,  may  be  mod.  lour,  '  frown,  gloomy  looks.' 

344.  Cf  Pat.  6ff.  : 

And  quo  for  bro  may  nojt  bole,  be  b'kker  he  sufferes  ; 
pen  is  better  to  abyde  be  bur  vmbestoundes, 
pen  ay  brow  forth  my  bro,  baj  me  bynk  ylle. 

345.  Cf.  animal  similes  at  184,  1085.    Such  allusions  may  arise 


70  j15ote0 

from  the  poet's  interest  in  the  hunt,  which  underlies  the  following 
fine  passages:  Ga-w.  1126-1177;  1319-1371;  1412-1470; 
1561-1622;    1690-1732;    1893-1921. 

349.  deme,  adyte.  Hortatory;  cf.  710.  M.  {u4cad.  39. 
603  ;  40.  76)  assigns  adyte  to  a  Romance  origin  on  account  of  the 
speUing.  G.  [j4cad.  40.  37)  derives  it  from  O.  E.  adthtan -^  see 
309  n. 

357.  Cf.  55- 

358.  leme.  G.  glosses  '  gleam,  glint,'  and  translates  '  glide,' 
which  latter  meaning  is  not  recorded.  The  context  points  to  lure^ 
as  the  object  of  leme.  I  suggest  O.  N.  lemja,  '  beat,  flog  '  as  the 
origin  oi  leme.  lure^  is  probably  'frowns'  (see  339  n. ),  and  of'is 
adv.,  'away.'  The  sense  would  be  then,  'and  lightly  drive  thy 
frowns  away. ' 

359.  inadde.  The  rest  of  the  line  points  to  some  word  op- 
posed in  meaning  to  marre.  G.  reads  marred  oper  madde,  which 
seems  more  probable. 

myfe.   Cf.  Bbddeker  183.  58  f.: 

my  murj>e  is  al  wijj  mournyng  meind, 
ne  may  ich  my}>en  hit  namore. 

Also  173.  24  :  '  feirbiheste  make}?  mony  mon  al  is  serewes  mythe. ' 

373  ^-  The  sense  is  :  '  You  have  been  the  cause  of  both  my  bliss 
and  my  bale  ;  wherefore  my  grief  was  the  greater  for  the  sudden 
passing  of  bliss  so  great. ' 

382.  marerej  mysse.  'A  botcher's  blunder'?  that  is,  I 
am  worth  no  more  than  a  botcher's  blunder,  good  for  nothing.  But 
this  is  a  bit  forced.  Holthausen  and  a  reviewer  in  yfM.  1891.  184 
suggest  manerej  mysse,  i.  e.,  'I  lack  manners,'  but  N.  E.  D.  shows 
that  '  manners  '  was  not  employed  in  this  sense  till  much  later. 

With  the  line  cf.  905  ;  Pur.  j^^j,  736  :  'I  .  .  .  ):>at  mul  am 
&  aske^. ' 

384.  ]?ise.  The  subject  is  also  reiterated  by  a  pron.  at  41, 
290,  414,  454,  506,  686,  742,  922,  928,  939. 

386.  mornyf  mate.  For  other  instances  of  the  double  adj. 
see  190  n. 

388.  hente  harmej.  The  same  phrase  occurs  at  ff^m.  of 
Pa/erne  2786;  Sege  of  Aielayne  1039.  In  Pur.  151  it  is  '  sca)je 
hent.' 


^ott&  71 

389.  presente.  One  would  expect  presens,  as  in  Pur.  8, 
1496  ;  this  rare  use  may  be  due  to  requirements  of  rime,  or  to  O.  F. 
en  present.  Cf.  F.J.  Amours,  Scott.  Allit.  Poems,  Gol.  and  Gaw. 
1287  n.  (p.  285). 

390  f.   Cf.  Bocc.  158  fif.: 

Sed  tu,  si  mereor,  resera,  quibus,  obsecro,  lustris 
Te  tenuit  tarn  longa  dies  ? 

395.    Supply  hit  is  ;  cf  83  n. 

397.  now.    That  is,  '  now  that  you  have  humbled  yourself.' 

398.  lufsoum  of  lyth  and  lere.  See  variations  of  this 
phrase  at  Susan  275  ;  Go/.  andGaiv.  1253. 

405.  in  hys  place.  '  Ad  locum  nominis  Domini  exerci- 
tuum,  montem  Sion  '  (Is.  18.  7).  Cf.  137,  142,  868,  973  ff. 
The  phrase  seems  to  anticipate  678,  679  and  the  allusion  to  Ps. 

24-  3- 

407.  \>&  Lamb.  This  epithet,  except  where  it  renders  Biblical 
passages,  occurs  in  closest  connection  with  the  scriptural  allegory 
of  Christ  the  lover  and  husband  ;  cf  413,  741,  846,  861,  967, 
1 127,  and  esp.  795,  796.    With  stanza  35  read  675  n. 

416.  lenghe  of  dayej.  Biblical ;' in  longitudinem  dierum,' 
Ps.  22.  6;  92.  5  (Vulg.).  So  Pur.  1594:  'Everlaste  by  lyf 
in  len}>e  of  dayes.' 

419.    Christ  is  the  '  prynce  of  parage  noble'  in  Pur.   167. 

421.  may  )?ys  be  trewe.  The  inverted  order  forms  a 
protasis  without  if.     Cf  287,  325,  327,   1 189. 

422.  if,  etc.  '  If  the  question  I  am  about  to  ask  be  foolish  and 
wrong.' 

424.  fiat.     Personal  obj.  of  Jo. 

425.  f'at  grace  of  grewe.  Prep,  postpositive;  cf.  146  n. 
Perhaps  Christ  is  meant  as  the  personification  of  saving  grace.  It 
is,  however,  a  point  in  Roman  Catholic  doctrine  that  the  Virgin, 
as  well  as  the  Godhead,  is  a  source  of  grace.  Cf.  436,  and  Salzer, 
op.  cit.  infra,  pp.   566-8. 

429  ff.  See  p.  xxi  for  the  possible  relation  of  these  lines  to  Chau- 
cer. The  phcenix  was  a  not  uncommon  mediaeval  symbol  of  the 
birth  of  Christ,  and  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ  and  of  man.  More 
rarely,  in  reference  to  the  incarnation  iVIary  was  called  phoenix.  See 
Salzer,  Sinnbi/Jer  unj  Betworte Mariens  60-62;  545-    More  rarely 


72  jl5ote0 

still  is  the  phoenix  a  type  of  her  singular  beauty  and  sweetness,  as  here. 
Salzer  cites  fewer  than  six  examples,  none  of  which  resembles  these  lines 
so  closely  as  does  Chaucer.  The  nearest  is  from  Milchsack,  Hymni 
et  Sequentia  (  1886)  no.  21.  180  :  '  Haec  est  fenix  unica,  capillos 
cujus  auri  color  et  verticem  miratur olor. '  In  an  O.  F.  lyric  (Herr. 
Arch.  42.  28 1 )  she  is  '  la  gloriouse  fenix,  Meire  et  fille  a  dous  pel- 
licant.'  Raynouard,  Lexique  Rom.  s.  y.  fenix ^  cites  from  the  Pro- 
vencal poet  Bistors  an  instance  in  which  a  lady  is  addressed  as  '  bels 
fenics.'  In  the  Roman  de  la  Rose  9437  (ed.  Michel)  is  mentioned 
the  prodefame,  who  is  rarer  than  the  phcenix. 

431.  fleje.  Really  an  imperfect — 'was  wont  to  fly'  — 
meaning  little  more  than  '  watj. ' 

435.  Similar  combinations  are  frequent ;  cf.  '  Maiden,  moder 
makeles,'  Jacoby,  f^ier  M.  E.  Geistl.  Gedichte,  1.49  of  song  from 
Arundel  MS.  248  ;  also  Prayer  to  Our  Lady  ( E.  E.  T.  S.  49,  p. 
192,  1.   I )  ;    Fi-ve  Joys  of  the  Virgin  i^ib.  p.  88,  1.  41). 

436.  Cf.  Herr.  Arch.  42.  268,  where  the  Virgin  is 

Fluns  de  pitiet  et  de  dousour  fontaigne. 
La  douce  pucelle  de  tous  biens  plainne. 

439.  The  figure  is  not  expressive,  but  affords  interlocked  allit- 
eration.   Cf.  573. 

441.  Emprise.  One  of  the  commonest  mediaeval  epithets  of 
the  Virgin  ;  see  list  in  Salzer,  Sinnbilder  und  Betiuorte  Martens  456— 
458.  Cf.  Herr.  Arch.  42.  250,  where,  in  an  O.  F.  lyric,  the 
Virgin  is  '  La  Saintime  empereris  '  ;  also  ib.  42.  244. 

446.  property.    Cf.  p.  liii. 

450.  Cf.  83  n. 

451.  \>0  fyue.  On  the  cardinal  as  a  multiplicative  in  M.  E., 
but  ivithout  the  article,  cf.  Zupitza  in  Herr.  Archi-v.  84.  329  ; 
perhaps  po  should  be  pe,  instr.,  as  with  a  comparative  j  or  po  fyue 
may  =  '  five  of  those.'    Cf.  849. 

458-466.    Cf.  throughout  with  I  Cor.  6.   15  ;  12.  12-17. 

459.  naule.  G.,  regardless  of  phonology,  sense,  or  poetic 
delicacy,  renders  'navel'  (  O.  E.  nafola).    Cf  Knigge,  pp.  32  ff. 

460,  462.  tyste,  myste.  Probably  for  ty^te,  mype,  but  thus 
spelled  for  the  sake  of  rime.  So  at  King  Horn  10  ;  cf.  doster,  K.  H. 
249,  and  Hall's  exhaustive  note  p.  1 1 1  of  his  edition.  *  Maister 
of  myght '  occurs  in  Gol.  and  Gaiu.  187,  but  not  of  God. 


i^ote0  73 

465  ff.  As  the  head  is  not  jealous  of  the  honor  which  the  arm  or 
hand  derives  from  the  ring,  so  we  do  not  begrudge  each  other  the 
rank  of  Icing  and  queen. 

466.  byje.  Cf.  the  '  byje  of  bryjt  golde  abowte  f>yn  nekke  '  in 
Pur.   1638. 

469.    '  I  leue  cortayse  &  charyte  be  grete  among  you.' 

COrtayse.  Trisyllabic,  and  perhaps  a  mistake  for  cortaysye,  as 
at  480  ;   cf.  481. 

472-487  ;  588-599.  On  the  correspondence  between  the 
thought  of  these  passages  and  Bradwardine's  De  Causa  Dei,  see  C.  F. 
Brown,  pp.   I  34-6. 

476.  '  Who  has  endured  (trial)  in  a  violent  world,'  or  perhaps 
'  who  has  continued  strong  in  this  world.'  N.  E.  D.  prefers  former, 
but  cf.  s.  V.  endure  II.  2.     Cf.  776. 

Here  and  at  subsequent  points  are  implied  animadversions  on  the 
selfish  and  narrow  piety  not  uncommon  in  the  poet's  time. 

477.  lyues  longe.  So dayej  longe,  533.  In  these  expressions 
longe  is  an  adv. ,  but,  being  construed  by  the  speaker  as  a  noun,  it 
requires  a  partitive  gen.  lyue^,  ^aye^,  etc.  See  N.  E.  D.  s.  v.  /ong, 
adv.,  6. 

485.  Pater  ne  Crede.  From  Bede's  time  down  the  English 
clergy  were  instructed  to  see  that  the  people,  particularly  the  chil- 
dren, should  know  at  least  the  Pater  Noster  and  the  Creed.  Thus  it 
is  enjoined  in  734,  by  Bede's  letter  to  Egbert  (Haddan  and  Stubbs, 
Councils  and  Eccles.  Documents  3.  316)  ;  in  747,  by  the  Council  of 
Clovesho,  lb.  366  ;  in  787,  by  a  legatine  report  to  Adrian  I,  ib. 
448  ;  and  by  Cnut,  Ancient  Laivs  and  Institutes  of  England,  ed. 
Thorpe  I.  373.  King  Edgar  [ib.  2.  248)  commands  'bat  selc 
cristen  man  his  beam  to  cristendome  geornlTce  waenige  •  &  him 
Pater  Noster  &  Credon  tace.'  So  yElfric,  ib.  2.  35  I  ;  cf.  2.  419  ; 
in  1220  it  is  so  ordered  in  the  diocese  of  Durham  (Wilkins, 
Concilia  Britannia  I.  573)  ;  in  1 25 7,  at  Norwich  [ib.  I.  732)  ; 
in  1295,  at  Winchester  (C.  F.  Brown,  Chaucer's  '■Litel  Clergcon,'' 
Mod.  Philology  3.  474)  ;  in  1364  at  Ely  (Wilkins,  op.  cit.  3.  59): 
'  Provideant  etiam  attentius  ecclesiarum  rectores  et  sacerdotes  paro- 
chiales,  ut  pueri  parochiarum  suarum  diligenter  doceantur,  et  sciant 
Orationem  Dominicam,  et  Symbolum,  et  Salutationem  Beatae 
Mariae  Virginis,  et  crucis  signaculo  se  recte  consignare.' 


74  i^tesf 

492.  to  dere  a  date.  This  phrase  may  be  slightly  colloquial, 
like  'Time  is  too  precious,'  meaning  '  Impossible  1  '  Cf.  504 
and  p.  XX. 

497.  messe.  Cf.  Pat.  9.  Matt.  20.  1-16  is  the  gospel  for 
Septuagesima  Sunday,  but  the  fact  is  insignificant  here,  the  word 
messe  being  used  for  rime  and  alliteration. 

497  ff.  The  picturesque  and  dramatic  quality  of  this  paraphrase 
is  evident  in  contrast  with  one  of  the  same  Biblical  passage  in 
Boddeker,  G.  L.  1.    Cf.  p.  xviii ;  vii,  n.  i. 

499.  in  sample.  Matt.  20.  1-16.  G.  prefers  in-sample,  but 
in  this  text  the  spelling  en-  is  preferred  in  all  such  cases,  and  the 
scribe,  who  often  writes  a  proclitic  and  the  ensuing  word  as  one, 
separates  these. 

he.  To  Matthew  are  ascribed  the  words  of  Christ ;  so  Piers 
Ploivm.  B.  10.  455:  '  Mathew  hath  igrauntet,  "Amen  dico 
vobis,"  '  etc.    But  in  501  he  changes  its  antecedent  to  Christ. 

503.  terme.  Literally  the  word  signifies  merely  'limit'  — in 
this  case,  '  end. '  ^ere  is  evidently  thought  of  as  ending  immedi- 
ately after  the  grape-har^-est,  in  mid-autumn.  In  the  M.  E.  version 
of  Palladius,  On  Husbondrie  (1420?),  the  '  putacioun  autumnal' 
of  vine  and  tree  is  recommended  '  ther  nys  noo  colde  '  (ed.  Lodge, 
E.  E.  T.  S.,  Nov.,  U.  50,  51). 

505.  fys  hyne.  G.  alters  to  hys  hyne,  since  '  no  hyne  have 
been  referred  to  previously '  ;  neither,  it  may  be  objected,  are  the 
hyne  yet  'hys.'  Kolbing  suggests  that  hyne  is  sg.,  meaning  the 
lord  himself  in  the  sense  of  <  Bauer,  Gutsbesitzer. '  But  hyne  desig- 
nates the  laborers  at  632,  and  the  poet,  with  his  sense  of  social  dis- 
tinctions (p.  liii) ,  would  not  speak  confusedly  in  matters  of  this  kind. 
Both  overlook  the  fact  that  knawe  is  present.  The  line  seems  to 
be  a  general  observation,  addressed  to  the  reader,  anticipatory  of  the 
men's  offering  themselves  for  hire:  '  These  hirelings  (as  a  class) 
know  well  that  season  of  year  (vintage),'  and  when  to  present 
themselves  for  hire. 

533.  dayej  longe.    Cf  477  n. 

534.  '  Their  hire  was  nowhere  ready'  ;  '  then-  service  was  no- 
where engaged.' 

544.  repreny.   Cf.  315  n. 

546.  inlyche.  For  ch  we  should  expect  Northern  *,  as  in  lyk, 
432,  501,  735,  874.     Cf.  inliche,  603,  in  rime. 


Jl5otC0  75 

547-  lowe.  Not  in  S.  Matthew  at  this  point,  and  no  doubt 
in  allusion  to  the  signification  of  the  parable,  as  implied  in  v.  ~i6,  or 
in  the  rest  of  the  chapter,  especially  vv.  26,  27. 

565.  lawely.  Matt.  20.  15:  '  Aut  non  licet  mihi  quod  volo 
facere  ? '  Though  laivly  is  commonly  an  adverb,  it  is  an  adj.  at  Pro-v. 
of  Alfred  11  :   '  mid  lawelyche  deden. ' 

567.  Kolbing's  elaborate  rearrangement  {^Eng.  Stud.  16.  271) 
seems  unnecessary. 

568.  byswykej.  The  only  instance  m  all  the  poems  in  this 
MS.  of  the  Northern  pres.  i  sg.  in  -es  (Schwahn  6).  Used  here 
for  rime. 

573.  pykej.  Cf.  439  ;  and  Boddeker  103.  24,  25  ;  137.  55, 
which  indicate  '  carry  off  (plunder)  '  as  the  meaning. 

575.  atslykej.  Construction  requires  subj.  j  cf.  ivore,  574. 
Ind.  is  a  concession  to  rime. 

578.  lyuej  blom.   Cf.  1146. 

581.    whefjer.    Not  to  be  rendered  '  whether. ' 

581  ff.  Augustine's  interpretation  {Patr.  Lot.  38.  53  iff.)  is 
an  inversion  of  this  :  '  Tanquam  enim  prima  hora  vocantur,  qui  re- 
centes  ab  utero  matris  incipiunt  esse  christiani  ;  quasi  tertia,  pueri  ' 
etc.  Cf.  Rabanus  Maurus,  Patr.  Lat.  107.  1027  f.  Augustine 
also  interprets  the  various  hours  as  the  respective  dates  of  Abel, 
Noah,  Abraham,  etc.,  who,  though  called  at  different  times  of 
the  world,  yet  receive  the  one  reward  of  resurrection  and  eternal 
life. 

591-612,   Cf.  Wm.  of  Nassington,  E.  E.  T.  S.  26.  410-421. 

593.  yerce.  Ps.  61.  12,  13  :  '  Semel  locutus  est  Deus,  duo 
haec  audivi,  quia  potestas  Dei  est.  Et  tibi,  Domine,  misericordia, 
quia  tu  reddes  unicuique  juxta  opera  sua.' 

596.  '  Pretermynable  suggests  a  definite  acquaintance  with  the 
pradeterminatio  of  the  schoolmen  (cf  Thos.  Aquinas,  Summa 
Theologia,  Pars  I,  Q.  xxiii,  Art.  i,  ed.  1756,  vol.  xx,  p.  146)' 
(  Brown,  I  32  n. ).  But  the  word's  occurrence  here  may  be  explained 
by  Albertus'  comment  on  Ps.  61.  12,  13  :  '"Semel  ..."  Hie 
secundum,  in  quo  ostendit,  quod  acquiescendum  exhortationi  :  ultio 
nolentium  acquiescere,  et  remuneratio  acquiescentium  certissime 
cognita  :  unde  tanguntur  tria.  Primo,  divinae  voluntatis  ordinatio 
aeterna  et  perfecta,'  etc.    He  cites  John   i.   i  —  ♦  "  In  principio 


76  j^otefif 

erat  Verbum  "  in  quo  totum  compledssime  est  dispositum  '  (^  Opera, 
ed.   Borgnet,   i6.   loo). 

597-600.  Asyntactic  ;  see  168  n.,  and  p.  Iv.  The  mean- 
ing is  :  'If  thou  come  to  payment  ahead  of  him  who  worked 
steadily  all  day  long,  then  the  one  who  has  done  less  work  is  more 
able  to  receive  pay,  and  the  further  (lenger)  you  carry  the  matter 
logically,  the  more  surely  it  will  prove  that  the  less  work  a  man 
does  the  bigger  his  pay  '  —  a  reductio  ad  absurdum. 

600-743.  '  These  lines  are  the  real  climax  of  the  poem ' 
(Brown,  p.   131).     But  cf.  pp.  Ivi  f.  on  its  structure. 

604.  '  Whether  in  any  case  the  fixed  reward  be  small  or  large 
in  proportion  to  the  service  of  the  recipient.' 

605.  Brown,  p.  142,  cites  Richard  Rolle,  Of  Grace ^  ed.  Horst- 
mann,  i.  306  ;  the  same,  ib.  I.  133  :  '  God  is  na  chyncheof  his 
grace  ;  for  he  haues  ynogh  \>exoie  ;  for,  \>oie  he  dele  it  neuer  so 
ferre,  ne  to  so  mony  :  he  haues  neuer  Jje  lesse  :  for  him  wantes 
noght  bot  clene  vessels  :  til  do  his  grace  inne. ' 

607.  lauej.  The  idea  of  abundance  is  implied  in  its  use  at 
Pur.  366.     On  the  double  simile  see  76  n. 

608.  charde.  Cf. ,  for  the  derived  meaning  'cease,'  Gen. 
and  Ex.  3055  :    '  Moyses  do  this  weder  charen. ' 

609  f.  More  disputed  than  any  other  passage  in  the  poem.  The 
difficulty,  in  the  last  analysis,  lies  ( i )  in  the  antecedent  of  Ays, 
whether  (a)  God,  or  (b)  the  man;  (2)  in  the  interpretation  of 
dard,  whether  (a)  'fear,'  or  (b)  'hide';  (  3 )  in  the  antecedent 
of/iym,  whether  (a)  God,  or  (b)  the  man.  G.,  taking  lb,  2  a,  and 
3  a,  renders  :  '  That  man's  franchise  is  large  who  ever  stood  in  fear 
of  Him  who  maketh  rescue  in  sin.'  M.  I^Acad.  39.  602)  objects 
to  this  interpretation  of  dard  to,  since  the  regular  prep.  w.  dare, 
'fear,'  is  at  (cf.  839).  Taking  i  a,  2  b,  3  b,  he  renders:  'His 
(God's)  liberality,  which  has  ever  been  unsearchable,  abounds  to 
all.  To  the  man  who  makes  amendment  for  sin  (or  repents)  no 
blessing  shall  be  denied.'  Fick,  taking  the  same  and  putting  a 
semicolon  after  large,  renders  :  '  His  (God's)  franchise  is  large  ;  to 
him  who  confided  himself  to  (hid  himself  in)  him  that  makes  res- 
cue in  sin,'  etc.  ;  Kolbing  {Eng.  Stud.  16.  271)  seconds  this  in- 
terpetation.  But  G.'s  rendering  is  to  be  preferred.  First,  as  to  (3) 
the  antecedent   of  hym   is   God.    The  phrase  mati  rescoghe  in  the 


jliotest  77 

alliterative  poems  is  military  in  connotation,  meaning  '  succor  with 
reinforcements'  ;  cf.  Destr.  Troy  9734  ;  Alex.  2813,  5162,  5202  ; 
Morte  Arth.  433,  4132,  4138,  4230  ;  Buke  of  the  Hoiulat  433. 
M.'s  interpretation  is  therefore  inadmissible.  Secondly,  as  to 
(i),  hys  refors  to  a  different  antecedent  from  that  of  hym  i  hys 
fraunchyse,  etc.,  means  '  that  man's  freedom,  privilege,  immunity 
is  large  who,'  etc.,  cf.  N.  E.  D.,  s.  v.  franchise.  Finally,  as  to 
(2),  though  at  is  the  usual  prep.,  G.  suggests  that  to  may  have 
seemed-.more  appropriate  where  the  sense  is  '  continue  in  fear  before 
the  Lord '  (Acad.  40.  36).  But  it  is  quite  possible  that  Jard  is  an 
error  (or  far d  (fared),  in  alliteration  w.  fraunchyse,  the  sense  being: 
»  That  man's  privilege  is  large  who  (in  temptation)  ever  resorted  to 
him  that  giveth  succor  in  sin.' 

610.  resCOghe.  Usually  rwco'zt'f,  but  between  the  two  spell- 
ings there  could  have  been  little  difference  of  pronunciation.  Cf 
spellings  and  rimes  in  634,  636. 

611,  hem.  G.  alters  to  hym,  but  sudden  change  of  number, 
where  the  antecedent  is  indefinite,  occurs  at  331,  621,  626,  687. 

626.  The  author's  sense  of  the  importance  of  baptism  appears 
in  Pur.  163-4 : 

For  alle  arn  laired  luflyly,  be  lu^er  &  J>e  better, 
pat  euer  wern  fuljed  in  font  J'at  fest  to  haue. 
pay.    For  other  abrupt  changes  of  number  see  61 1  and  n. 
by  lyne.    M.  glosses  '  lineage  '  ;  G.  renders  '  forthwith  '  ;   it  is 
rather  '  by  rule  and  line,'  i.  e.  '  in  regular  order  '  ;   cf.  Ayenb.   1 60  : 
<  dob  al  be  ri:jtuolnesse  and  be  lingne.' 

628.  borojt.  Cf.  II  n. 

629.  endente.  For  endented,  to  rime;  cf.  591  n.,  629  f 
'  Anon  the  day,  indented  with  darkness,  doth  yield  to  the  power 
of  death.' 

630.  myjt  ,  .  .  to.  See  146  n.  Kdlbing's  conjecture  im- 
proves the  passage,  but  is  unnecessary  to  its  sense. 

632.  hyne.  Pi.nr.tc.  of  pat,  6315  awkward  but  character- 
istic. 

635.   at  pe  fyrst  fyne.    Cf  Benedict  XII  as  cited  at  675  n. 

lyrd  (G. )  is  phonologically  impossible;  the  MS.  reads  neither 
jyrd  nor  ^yld  (M. ).  The  word  has  apparently  been  altered  by  the 
scribe,  but  I  am  at  a  loss  for  the  intended  reading. 


78  j^oces; 

639-645.    Cf.  Erk.  294-298  : 

Dwynande  in  \>e  derke  dethe,  l)at  dyjt  vs  oure  fader, 
Adam,  oure  alder,  J>at  ete  of  Jjat  appulle 
]Jat  mony  a  plyjtles  pepul  has  poysned  for  euer  ; 
Bot,  mendyd  wt  a  medecyne,  je  are  made  for  to  lyuye. 
Cf.   Rich.   Rolle,  ed.   Horstmann,  i.    87:   '  j7ou  bete  al  my  bale 
with  bote  of  \>\  blood.* 

647.    plyt.    For  plyit.    See  309  n. 

650,   Transverse  alliteration;   so  306,  956. 

652.  '  Pars  illorum  erit  in  stagno  ardenti  igne  et  sulphure  ;  quod 
est  mors  secunda  '  (Apoc.  21.  8). 

653.  fe  w^ater  is  baptem.  See  John  19.  34.  For  the 
symbolism  cf.  Anselm,  Epistola  4.  107,  Patr.  Lat.  159.  255  : 
'  Aqua  cum  vino  in  sacramento  ideo  apponitur,  ut  aqua  quae  cum 
sanguine  de  latere  Christi  fluxit  representaretur,  quae  aqua  significat 
baptismum,  in  quo  populus  per  effusionem  sanguinis  innovatur. '  Cf. 
also  Wm.  of  Nassington,  E.  E.  T.  S.  26.  277  fF. ,  where  from 
Christ's  wound 

owt  rane  to  oure  saluacyone 
The  precyous  blode  of  oure  raunsone. 
With  be  water  of  baptym  clere  and  thyn. 
And  Rich.  Rolle,  ed.  Horstmann,  2.  361  :  '  And  of  J>at  ilke  welle 
of  lyf  (cf  649),  J>orw  Jsat  grisly  wounde,  runne  two  floodes  :   \>\ 
riche  precious  blod,    .    .    .   and  hat  deore    holy  water  (cf.   647) 
J:'at  al  \>h,  world  wosch  of  sake  and  of  synne.'    An  early  instance  is 
Cyprian,  De  Haret.  Bapt.,  Patr.  Lat.  3.  1248  ;  cf  TertuUian,  De 
Bapt.  ad-v.  Siulntillam,  Patr,  Lat.  I.  1 3  19.     Augustine  lays  little 
stress  upon  the  idea  ;  see  Contra  Donathtas  21,  Patr.  Lat.  43.  440. 

654.  grounds.  Common  epithet  of  weapons  in  the  allitera- 
tive poems.    Cf.  Morte  Arth.   1281,  4167  ;  8ege  Jer.  553. 

656.  Another  case  of  the  poet's  asyntactic  style  (cf.  434  ;  630, 
631  ;  773-780  ;  1020;  1022-1028),  and  may  be  rendered,  'the 
offense  which  Adam  [by  bringing  upon  us],  drowned  us  in  death.' 
See  I  Cor.  15.  22. 

657-  The  statement  is  elliptical  :  '  Now  is  there  no  obstacle 
between  us  and  bliss  that  he  has  not  withdrawn,  and  no  means  of 
approach  that  he  has  not  restored.' 

660  ff.   The  doctrine  of  this  passage  may  be  briefly  summarized 


i^Ote0  79 

thus  :  Salvation  is  granted  both  to  the  innocent  and  the  contrite. 
The  innocent  ever  possess  it  as  their  right ;  the  contrite  obtain  it 
only  through  repentance,  the  pain  of  remorse,  and  the  grace  and 
mercy  of  God.  It  is  better,  if  one  can,  to  win  salvation  by  inno- 
cence, than  to  run  the  risk  of  failure  and  the  danger  of  judgment 
which  the  other  course  involves.  But,  if  one  is  brought  to  judg- 
ment, let  him  urge  in  his  defense  the  words  of  Solomon  and  David. 

664.  Rel.  pron.  omitted;   cf.  732  n. 

665.  resoun.  The  personified  Resoun  in  Piers  PI.  4  is  dis- 
tinguished for  his  justice  ;  cf.  esp.  1 1 7-1 3 1.  Cf.  Rich.  RoUe,  ed. 
Horstmann,  i-  339  :  '  Resoun,  ])e  whiche  knowej?  good  &  wykke.' 

672.  at.  Demonstrative  ?  At  \s  z.  Northern  form  of  the  rel. 
pat  (cf.  536),  and  of  the  conjunction  (^Alex.  100,  266,  1480, 
2445  ).  The  emphasis  in  the  present  case  would  call  for  pat,  and  at 
may  be  a  scribe's  error.  G.'s  reading  at  inoscence,  '  in  innocence,' 
is  forced;  by  is  the  prep,  elsewhere  (cf.  708);  the  refrain  would 
tend  to  enforce  uniformity. 

675.  Se  hys  face.  That  is,  enjoy  the  Beatific  Vision,  to 
which  our  poet  often  alludes;  cf  Pur.  28,  176,  178,  552,  576, 
595,  1055,  1112,  1804-1812;  Pat.  24.  The  doctrine  is  based 
upon  I  John  3.  2;  i  Cor.  13.  12  (cf.  Matt.  5.  8  ;  Rev.  22.  4). 
It  is  considered  by  Augustine  in  De  Ci'v.  Dei  22.  29,  and  more 
fully  in  an  epistle  De  Videndo  Deo,  Patr.  hat.  33.  596  ff.  ;  it  was 
finally  formulated  in  1336,  by  Benedict  XII.  I  quote  his  words, 
since  they  relate  to  the  theological  questions  in  the  Pearl,  and  to  the 
maiden's  condition  as  one  of  the  innocent  (cf.  626  and  n.):  '  .  .  . 
quod  secundum  communem  Dei  ordinationem,  animae  sanctorum 
omnium,  qui  de  hoc  mundo  ante  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi  pas- 
sionem  decesserunt,  necnon  sanctorum  apostolorum,  martyrum,  con- 
fessorum,  virginum,  ut  aliorum  fidelium  defunctorum,  post  sacra- 
mentum  baptismi  ab  eis  susceptum,  in  quibus  nihil  purgabile  fuit 
quando  decesserunt,  nee  erit  quando  decedent  etiam  in  futurum,  vel 
si  tunc  erit  aliquid  purgabile  in  eisdem,  tamen  post  mortem  suam 
purgabunt,  atque  animae  puerorum  eodem  Christi  baptismate  rena- 
torum,  &  baptizandorum,  cum  fuerint  baptizati,  ante  usum  liberi 
arbitrii  decedentium,  mox  post  mortem  suam  &  purgationem  prae- 
fatam  in  illis  qui  purgatione  hujusmodi  indigebant,  etiam  ante  re- 
sumptionem  suorum  corporum  &  judicium  generale,  post  ascensio- 


8o  iliotesf 

nem  Domini  nostri  Jesu  Christi  in  caelum,  fuerunt,  sunt,  &  erunt 
in  caelo,  caelorumque  regno,  &  paradise  caelesti,  cum  Christo,  sanc- 
torum angelorum  consortio  aggregatse,  ac  post  Christi  Jesu  passionem 
&  mortem  viderunt  &  vident  &  videbunt  Divinam  essentiam  imme- 
diate, se  bene  &  clare  &  aperte  illis  ostendentem  ;  quodque  sic  vi- 
dentes,  eadem  Divlna  essentia  perfruuntur  :  necnon  quod  tali  visione 
&  fruitione,  eorum  anima;  qui  jam  decesserant,  sunt  vere  beatae,  & 
habent  vitam  aeternam  &  requiem.'  —  Benedict  XII,  Epistola  I, 
in  Mansi,  Sacrorum  Conciliorum  No-va  et  AmpUiuma  CoUectio  25. 
986  ;  cf.  Thomas  Aquinas,  Summa  3.  92  ;  Migne,  T/ieologiee 
Cursus  Computus  7.  158  fF. ;   also  11.  411  fF.;    625  ff. ;    760  ff. 

681-683.  Ps.  23  (Vulg. ).  4,  with  an  allusion  in  683  to  Ps. 
25(Vulg. ).  12,  and  the  addition,  in  686-688  of  Ps.  14  (Vulg.). 
1-3,  though  vv.  687,  688  return  to  23.  4  (Vulg.),  'qui  nou 
accepit  in  vano  animam  suam,  nee  juravit  in  dolo  proximo  suo. ' 

689-694.  saj  Salamon.  In  Liber  Sapientiae  10.  10  (as 
shown  by  H.  Bradley,  Acad.  38.  201)  :  '  Haec  [Sapientia]  pro- 
fugum  iraefratris  justum  [Jacob]  deduxit  per  vias  rectas,  et  ostendit 
regnum  Dei,  et  dedit  illi  scicntiam  sanctorum  :  honestavit  ilium  in 
laboribus,  et  complevit  labores  illius.'  These  words  allude  to  Gen. 
28 .  12-15,  adapted  in  693  f. ,  where  Jacob  had  the  vision  of  heaven, 
and  the  promise  :  '  Terram,  in  qua  dormis,  tibi  dabo  et  semini  tuo. 
.  .  .  Reducam  te  in  terram  hanc'  But  the  present  use  is  explained 
by  the  commentary  of  Rabanus  on  Sap.  10.  10  i^Patr.  Lat.  109. 
717,  718)  :  'Juxta  allegoriam  ad  sanctos  martyres  pertinet,  quos 
divina  sapientia,  Christus  videlicet,  .  .  .  sua  misericordia,  a  cunctis 
hostium  persecutionibus  liberavit,  et  ab  insidiis  eorum  incontaminatos 
protexit  ;  •  .  .  spe  futurae  mercedis,  tandemque  .  .  .  victores  felicis- 
simos  ad  regnum  aeternum  perduxit.'  With  693  cf.  Gen.  13.  14,  15. 

690.  [kyng  hym.]  Indicated  by  the  alliteration.  As  G. 
says,  Wisdom  in  the  quotation  from  Solomon  is  identified  by  me- 
diaeval commentators  with  Christ.  He  cites  Augustine,  De  Trin. 
4.  20.      Cf.  also  Rabanus  as  cited  in  689  n. 

aquyle.    Referring  to  God's  reception  of  the  fugitive  Jacob. 

693.  yie.  Not  necessarily  'isle,'  as  G.  renders.  M.  E.  yle 
more  often  means  'island,'  yet  the  meaning  'remote  province  or 
land'  is  common;  in  Destr.  Troy  loi  Thessaly  is  an  yle  (translating 
regnumY^  in  Alex .  1039,  Italy  ;   /Z".  21 16,  Phrygia  ;   at   2800  the 


^otta 


8i 


provinces  of  India  are  thus  designated,  as  are  those  of  Italy  and  Egypt 
at  5  no;  'in  O.  T.,  after  the  equivalent  Heb.,  applied  to  lands 
beyond  the  sea'   (A'^.  E.  D.  s.  v.  isle  I.  b. ). 

697-708.  Cf.  Wm.  of  Nassington's  picture  of  the  last  judg- 
ment, E.  E.  T.  S.  26.  403  ff.: 

Certes  I  ne  wate  whate  I  may  say  \>zn, 

Bot  alls  Dauid  did,  he  haly  man  — 

«  Do  hou,  Lorde,  with  hi  seruande, 

Eftyre  hi  mercy,  hat  es  ay  sauande  ; 

And  infill  dome  come  hou  noghte 

With  hi  seruande  hat  hou  has  boghte  ; 

ffor  I  hafe  hade  grete  drede  in  thoghte 

Of  hi  domes,  and  hat  drede  leffe  I  noghte  ; 

ffor  hou,  Lorde  arte  reghtewysse  domes-mane, 

That  all  thyng  reghteuissly  dem  kane.' 

699.    Ps.   142  (Vulg. ).  2. 

703.  innome.  O.  E.  genomen.  cf.  inlyche  (O.  E.  gelice), 
innoghe  [gcog),  in  semCy  in  melle. 

709.  The  defective  metre  indicates  some  omission.  Kdlbing 
suggests  arede  for  rede  ;  but  cf.  p.  xliii,  n. 

71 1-726.  It  is  evident  that  this  passage  is  based  upon  the  poet's 
recollection  of  at  least  two  of  the  gospels.  The  word  '  touch,'  714, 
points  to  Mk.  10.  13,  or  Lk.  18.  15,  rather  than  to  Matt.  19.  13, 
and  Christ's  words  in  722  ff.  occur  in  Mark  and  Luke  immedi- 
ately after  the  blessing  of  the  children,  as  here,  but  are  in  a  differ- 
ent place  in  Matt.  (18.  2).  On  the  other  hand,  the  mildness  of 
717  is  more  consistent  with  Matthew's  account,  and  721  seems 
reminiscent  of  Matt.  18.2.  The  passage  is  only  one  of  several  that 
show  that  the  poet  adapted  Scriptural  material  rather  from  memory 
than  from  the  open  page. 

721  ff.  Reverts  to  Matt.  18.  1-3.  My/de  is  the  'little  child  ' 
of  V.  2  :  '  Advocans  Jesus  parvulum.'  But  wyW<;  may  =r  the  dis- 
ciples, 721  rendering' vocavitduodecim,'  from  Mk.  9.  34  (Vulg.), 
a  passage  similar  to  Matt.  18.  1-3.  Kolbing  objects  that  the  dis- 
ciples are  not  tnylde  here,  but  the  epithet  is  conventional;  the 
Amazons  at  Destr.  Troy  10847  are  '  maidons/a//  mild,  mightily  in 
armys,   .    .    .   hrepand  in  wer '  (cf.  10972). 

726.  mote  of>er  mascle.    Cf  843. 


82  iliotes; 

sulpande.  This  obscure  word  is  a  favorite  with  the  poet  ;  cf. 
'  synful  &  sulped,'  Pur.  15  ;  '  sulped  in  synne,'  550  ;  '  J^e  vycios 
fylj^e  J5at  bysulpej  mannej  saule,'  575  ;  also  1130,  1135;  -^Icx. 
4292. 

732.  M.'s  reading  is  unnecessary.  The  rel.  pron.  is  omitted 
also  in  664,  734,  925,  1056. 

734.   fore.    With  rel.  pron. /"a^  understood  ;  see  732  n. 

735-743'  The  poet's  interpretation  of  the  pearl  of  great  price 
(Matt.  13.  45,  46)  is  somewhat  confused.  It  may  have  been 
prompted  chiefly  by  Albertus,  Compendium  Theolog.  yeritatis  2.  4, 
Opera,  ed.  Borgnet,  34.  42  :  '  Coelum  est  corpus  purum  .  .  . 
essentia  subtilissimum,  incorruptibilitate  solidissimum,  .  .  .qui>;tate 
perspicuum,  materia  purissimum,  figura  sphoericum.  .  .  .Beatorum 
spiritum  habitaculum.'  Yet  it  seems  to  reflect  faintly  some  of 
the  mediaeval  comments  on  this  passage  in  Matthew.  Augustine 
says  the  pearl  represents  Christ,  or  the  love  of  one's  neighbor, 
or  the  supreme  knowledge  of  the  Word,  which  resembles  a 
pearl  in  being  '  purus  et  solidus  et  nusquam  a  se  dissonans  '  ( cf.  1. 
738);  or  finally  it  signifies  ourselves,  whom  we  reclaim  by  giving 
all  things  else  in  exchange  [Sluast.  77  in  Matt.,  Migne,  Patr. 
Lat.  35.  1371).  In  Jerome  [Comm.  in  Matt.  2.  13.  45,  Patr. 
Lat.  27.  98)  it  is  knowledge  of  the  Saviour,  the  sacrament  of  his 
passion,  and  the  mystery  of  the  resurrection.  In  Gregory  it  is  the 
sweetness  of  the  heavenly  kingdom  [Horn,  in  E-vangelia  11.  2). 
Cf.  Thomas  Aquinas,  Catena  Aurea,  tr.  1874,  2.  513.  See 
Introd.  p.  xxxi.  For  their  bearing  upon  this  passage  in  the  Intro- 
duction I  add  the  following  interpretations  of  the  pearl :  Christ,  or 
the  preaching  of  the  Gospel,  Chrysostom,  Horn.  23,  on  Matt.  7. 
6,  and  Horn.  4.  7,  on  Matt.  13.  45  ;  the  eternal  life,  Petrus 
Chrysologus,  Patr.  Lat.  184.  1069;  the  Virgin  (as  frequently), 
Bernard,  Patr.  Lat.  184.  1069  ;  in  a  homily  attributed  to  him 
(^Patr.  Lat.  184.  1 1  3  I  )  it  is  '  religio  sancta,  pura,et  immaculata'; 
in  Rupert  of  Deutz  i^Patr.  Lat.  169.  1202)  the  pearls  of  the 
heavenly  gates  (Rev.  21.  21)  are  the  saints  adorning  the  church  ; 
Hugo  of  St.  Victor  [Patr.  Lat.  176.  1159)  says  each  gate  is  one 
pearl,  '  quoniam  per  unitatem  fidei  et  puritatem  '  the  just  enter 
heaven;  at  1163,  citing  Matt.  13.  46  and  Gregory,  he  says, 
'  Margarita  vero  mystice  significat  evangelicam  doctrinam  seu  duke- 


iliotrs;  83 

tudinem  coelestis  vitae '  5  Albertus  Magnus  says  it  typifies  those 
who  enter  into  faith  in  the  whiteness  of  all  virtues,  or  are  distin- 
guished by  one,  '  ut  Abraham  a  fide,  Lot  ab  hospitalitate,'  etc. 
[Comm.  in  Apoc.  21.  21,  Opera,  ed.  Borgnet,  38.  778)  ;  Bona- 
ventura  says  the  pearl  is  the  crown  of  every  saint  in  heaven  (cited 
I186  n.).  In  Gregory  of  Nazianzen  the  Trinity  is  a  pearl  {Patr. 
Grac.  36.  304);  Ephrem  the  Syrian  perceives  in  the  pearl  'mys- 
teries pertaining  to  the  kingdom  —  in  its  brightness,  Christ;  in  its 
pureness,  his  body;  in  its  undividedness,  the  Truth  {^Select  Works,  ed. 
Morris,  p.  84;  cf.  Albert  S.  Cook,  Mod.  Lang.  Notes  20  118); 
again  Ephrem,  in  a  hymn  on  the  death  of  children  [Select  Hymns 
and  Homilies,  tr.  H.  Burgess,  p.  14),  says  :  '  Like  pearls  in  diadems 
children  are  inserted  in  the  kingdom.'  Cf.  2  n.,  and  121 1  and  n. 
From  this  list  may  be  found  in  general  the  sources  of  the  interpreta- 
tions in  Usk's  Testament  of  Lotte,  viz.,  the  church  visible  (2.  12); 
or,  as  a  woman's  name  (Margaret),  the  pearl  signifies  grace,  learn- 
ing, or  wisdom  concerning  God.  This  treatise  is,  of  course,  later 
than  our  poem. 

738.   rounde.    Cf.  5  and  n. 

743  f.   See  p.  li. 

747-768.   Cf  Bocc.  59ff. 

Silvius.  Die  munere  cuius 

Inter  texta  auro  vestis  tibi  Candida  flavo  ? 
Que  tibi  lux  oculis  olim  non  visa  refulget  ? 

Olympia.    Has  vestes  formamque  dedit  faciemque  coruscam 
Parthenos,  secumque  fui. 
Parthenos  is  the  Virgin  Mary. 

748.   Cf.  the  description  of  Reason,  Rom.  Rose  3007  ff.  : 
A  son  semblant  et  a  son  vis 
Pert  que  fu  faite  en  paradis, 
Car  Nature  ne  seust  pas 
Ovre  faire  de  tel  compas. 
Reminiscence  in  Chaucer,  Duchess  1195  ff.  :   '  Nature  Ne  formed 
neuer  in  creature   So  moche  beaute.'     See  further,  Watriquet,  Li 
Mireoirs  as  Dames  59  ff.  ;  Dit  de  la  Feste  du  Conte  de  Flandre  250  ; 
Guill.  de   Machault,  ed.  Tarbe,  14  ;   Froissart,  Paradys  d' Amour 
240  ;   Destr.  Troy  40 1 0. 


84  i]iote0 

750>  Pymalyon.  He  fashioned  and  painted  a  woman's  image 
of  such  passing  beauty  that  he  fell  in  love  with  it.  The  story  is  told 
in  Rom.  Rose  21802-22210  after  Ovid,  Met.  10.  243fF.  But  the 
comparison  as  made  here  is  common  in  poets  of  the  time.  See 
Guill.  de  Machault,  ed.  Tarbe,  60,  61  ;  133  ;  Froissart,  L'Espi- 
nette  Amoureuse^  1. 1796  5  Parades  (T Amours,  1.  1 123  ;  Deschamps, 
ed.  Raynaud  (Soc.  des  Anc.  Textes  Franc. )  3.  2665  6.  107;  10.  liv. 

751-  Arystotel.  To  select  an  example  of  the  greatest  learning. 

lettrure.  M.,  G.,  and  N.  E.  D.  define  as  'knowledge'  or 
'book-learning.'  '  Writings,  books  '  seems  more  appropriate.  Cf. 
Alex.  2170,  where  the  poet,  mentioning  a  certain  plain,  refers  to 
the  source  of  his  poem,  Historia  de  Proeliis  Alexandri,  saying  : 
*  Luctus  it  hijt,  )?e  letterure  &  \>t  line  \>\is  it  caUis.' 

752.    carpe.     For  carped}    But  cf,  pret.  hope. 

753-    Cf.   195  and  n. 

754.  angel-hauyng.  Cf.  Destr.  Troy  265  :  *  Your  angel- 
mouthis  most  melifluate  '  ;  Dunbar,  ed.  Laing,  i.  22  :  '  Hir  sweit 
Having  and  Fresche  Bewte.'    For  omission  of  is  see  83  n. 

755-  offys.  The  second  f  in  the  MS.  is  spread,  whence  M. 
and  G. 's  mistaken  readings. 

760.  semed.  There  is  no  compelliiig  reason,  as  G.  seems  to 
think,  against  the  meaning  '  was  fitting,'  especially  in  view  of  the 
poet's  objections,  in  the  discussion  just  ended,  to  the  maiden's 
present  state.    Cf.  411  flF.,  and  675  n. 

763  f.  Holthausen  has  pointed  out  the  unmistakable  source  of 
these  lines  in  the  Song  of  Songs  4.  7,  8  : 

Tota  pulchra  es,  amica  tua,  et  macula  non  est  in  te. 

Veni  de  Libano,  sponsa  mea,  veni  de  Libano,  veni,  coronaberis. 

With  the  last  word  compare  767.  The  text  may  have  been  sug- 
gested by  Boccaccio's  Eclogue.  Olympia  tells  how  she  was  received 
in  heaven  by  Boccaccio's  father  (238  f.)  : 

Venisti,  o  nostri  soboles  carissima  silvi  ? 

De  Libano  nunc  sponsa  veni  sacrosque  hymeneos 

Cantemus. 

But  the  poet  probably  knew  also  Dante's  use  of  the  text  at  Purg. 
30.   II,  where  the  four  and  twenty  elders  sing  'Veni  de  Libano' 


iliotfg  85 

before  the  chariot  in  the  mystic  procession,  and  the  song  may  be 
taken  as  addressed  to  Beatrice  (cf.  Scartazzini,  Enciclopedia  Dantesca 
2100,  s.  V.  -veni).  Christ  receives  the  Virgin  with  the  same  anthem 
at  the  Assumption  [Legenda  Aurea,  ed.  Graesse  507).    See  p.  xvi. 

766.  on  dese.  '  In  a  place  of  honor.'  The  association  of  the 
poet's  mind  is,  of  course,  with  the  place  of  honor  at  the  feast  in 
hall.  Thus  Guinevere  is  '  dressed  on  J^e  dere  des,'  Gaiv.  75  ;  cf. 
the  parable  in  Pur.  1 1 5  where  the  '  bryjtest  atyred  '  sit  '  at  J?e  hyje 
dese,  \>zt  dubbed  wer  fayrest.'  Cf.  also  Destr.  Troy  385,  2452, 
3399  5  Alex.  4215,  4695  ;  Rauf  Coil.  189.     See  Rev.  7.  13,  14. 

769.  byrd.  The  poet  doubtless  intends  a  pun.  The  context 
points  unmistakably  to  the  meaning  'bride,'  hut  f am  be  (see  90) 
shows  also  that  he  is  thinking  of  '  bird.'    Cf.  429  and  n. 

772.  vyf.  For  pronunciation  cf.  alliteration.  The  spelling  is 
Northern;  see  p.  xiii,  n.  i. 

775.  onvunder  cambe.  So  '  anvnder  bis,'  Boddeker  157. 
58  ;  'brihtest  vnder  bys,'  150.  38  ;  cf  i/?.  glossary,  s.  v.  "vnder, 
p.  432  ;  Dunbar,  Gladetke  thoue  ^ueyne,  JVorks,  ed.  Small,  2.  2745 
'  most  reverent  under  croune.' 

780.   Copula  om. 

785.  }7e  Lambes  vyues.   The  144,000  (not  140,000  ;  cf.  ^^^^^^^ 
870  where  the  correct  number  is  given)  are  thus  described  in  Rev. 

14.  4  :  'Hi  sunt,  qui  cum  mulieribus  non  sunt  coinquinati,  virgines  >«.*-t^>»*9 
enim  sunt.'     But  it  is  more  in  harmony  with  the  poet's  artistic         1/ 
purpose  to  represent  them  as  maidens. 
On  ■vyues,  see  772  n. 

786.  flot.  Apparently  the  numeral  is  to  be  taken  as  adj.  modi- 
fying y?o/,  unless  we  should  read  in  Jiot.    See  Rev.   14.   I,  3,  4. 

788.    knot.    Usually  of  a  smaller  band  than  here. 

790-792.    See  Rev.   19.  7,  8;   21.  2. 

801-807.    See  Is.  53. 

802.  lande.  Fick,  Kolbing,  and  Holthausen  destroy  the  allit- 
eration. No  change  is  necessary  ;  in  lande  may  mean  the  smooth 
piece  of  ground  where  the  shearing  takes  place  [saltus,  in  Prompto- 
rium ) . 

nem.  Rime  demands  this  change  of  MS.  wjcr;.  A^itot,  pret.  3  sg. 
of  nymme,  occurs  also  at  Pur.  505.  Yet  Fick  and  Kolbing  would 
retain  men,  ♦  maim,'  O.  F.  mahaigner. 


86  j^Otr0 

805  ff.  The  language  of  this  stanza  is  that  of  many  ecstatic 
mediaeval  meditations  upon  the  Passion.  Cf.  Rich.  Rolle,  ed. 
Horstmann,  i.  84,  85  ;  359;  Wm.  of  Nassington,  E.  E.  T.  S. 
26.  200-236. 

808.  care  colde.    Cf.  50  and  n. 

813  f.  fly^e  &  folde  &  brede.  F/y^e  with  the  scourge, 
and  afterwards  with  the  red  robe,  which  tore  off"  with  itself  the  skin 
from  his  lacerated  body,  as  described  in  the  citations  above  from  Wm. 
of  Nassington  and  Rolle.  Folde,  of  his  swooning  under  the  crushing 
weight  of  the  cross  ;  ior  fold  in  this  sense  see  Wynn.  and  Wait.  35  ; 
E.  E.  T.  S.  26.  81.  56.  Brede,  as  in  Rich.  Rolle  i.  86  :  'H 
drow  and  streynyd  \>^  streyje  on  brede,  and  on  lenkthe  by  handys 
and  by  feet.'  Though  active  in  form,  these  three  infinitives  with 
hue  are  equivalent  to  passive. 

817.  Galalye.  per  a%  of  8  18  must  refer  to  Jordan  ;  there  is 
no  account  of  John's  having  preached  or  baptized  elsewhere  than 
in  the  region  of  Jordan.  Cf  Matt.  3.  13;  Mk.  i.  14.  But  Herod, 
who  imprisoned  and  beheaded  him,  was  tetrarch  of  Galilee.  See 
Luke  3.  1-22. 

824.  G.  renders,  '  that  all  upon  this  world  have  wrought,'  but 
hati  is  never  pi.  in  the  poem,  'vpon  seems  to  belong  w.  pat,  as 
elsewhere  ;  see  146  n.  The  sense  then  is,  '  the  sins  upon  which  all 
the  world  hath  wrought,'  with  reference  to  the  accumulation  or 
amassing  of  the  burden  throughout  the  ages.  This  is  somewhat 
awkward,  but  it  may  have  been  rime,  not  sense,  which  determined 
the  addition  of  -vpon. 

826.  clem.  M.  derives  from  O.  E.  daman,  'smear,'  i.e. 
'  lay  on  '  5  cf.  Is.  53.  2.  G.  renders  '  claim  '  ;  the  usual  form  is 
clayme  (  Gaiv.  293  ;  Alex.  1848  -clame,  2108),  but  G.  cites  an  in- 
stance of  cleme  in  rime,  and  may  be  right  in  saying  that  clem  is  an 
'  eye-rime.'  Such  alteration  of  spelling  for  rime  is  common  in  the 
poem.  But  a  word,  rather  inappropriately  meaning  '  smear,' 
might  be  used  for  rime's  sake.  For  discussion  see  Acad.  39.  603; 
40.  36,  76,  116. 

835-1126.  For  the  use  of  the  Bible  in  this  passage  see  table 
of  Biblical  quotations. 

836.  syj.  In  the  light  of  Rev.  4.  2  5  5.  I,  11,  and  11.  788, 
867,  985,  1032,  sy^,  not  say  ti  (MS.),  nor  sagh  (G. )  is  probable. 


iliotes  87 

841  f.  neuer  pechche  of  ojjer  huee,  i.  e.,  none  at  all. 
843.  mot  ne  masklle.   Cf.  726. 

843  ff.    Cf.  Erk.  85  ff.  : 

Als  wemles  were  his  wedes  withouten  any  teche, 
0)>er  of  moulynge  ojjer  of  motes  oYir  wroght  fretene, 
&  as  bryjt  of  hor  blee  in  blysnande  hewes. 

850.    Cf.  p.  XX. 

853  ff.  On  reasons  for  suspecting  this  whole  stanza  see  p.  xlvi,  n.  I . 

855.  mynge.  G.  renders  'mingled  with  any  stain.'  I  follow 
M.'s  derivation  •<  O.  E.  myngtan,  the  thought  being,  apparently, 
that  those  newly  added  to  the  company  bring  no  diminution  of  bliss, 
since,  being  innocent,  they  bring  no  reminder  of  the  taint  of  sin. 

856.  creste.    The  crown  of  205  ff.    Seeiioi. 

857.  corses  in  clottej  clynge.  Cf.  E.  E.  T.  S.  24.  89. 
ao  : 

Out  of  his  er}>e  into  \>&  er\»t, 
pere  to  clinge  as  a  clot  of  clay. 
Also  24.  85.  68  ;    124.  XXV.   16. 

860.  Vague.  M.  (marg.  paraphr. )  and  G.  (transl.  )  interpret: 
'  From  the  one  death  (of  the  body)  arises  our  flill  hope  of  heaven. 
Cf.  957  ff.  Two  other  renderings  are  possible:  (i)  'From  the 
death  of  one  (Christ)  arises  the  hope  of  us  all.'  This  is  the  theme 
of  799-816,  824f,  and  may  be  an  allusion  to  Heb.  lo,  14: 
'  Una  enim  oblatione,  consummavit  in  sempiternum  sanctificatos  '  ; 
cf.  also  9.  26-28;  10.  10,  12;  Rom.  6  lo  ;  Pet.  3.  18.  (2) 
Taking  hope  as  mere  expectation  (cf.  hope,  v. ,  in  Gloss. ) ,  '  Of  one 
death  of  (the  body)  our  expectation  is  "  ful  drest,"  i.  e.,  fulfilled, 
realized  ;  .  .  .  our  care  is  now  done  away. '  If  the  meaning  of 
drat  seems  forced,  it  may  be  due  to  the  exigencies  of  rime. 

862.  mes.  Perhaps  '  feast '  (O.  F.  wzes);  the  poet  loved  such 
scenes;  cf.  Gaiv.,  Fytte  I  ;  also  876-927;  996-1019;  1648— 
1667  ;   but  '  mass  '  seems  more  likely  ;   see  1064  n. 

868.  fryuen  &  pro.  The  same  phrase  at  Boddeker  145. 
23  ;    162.   16. 

869.  maydennej.   Cf.  785  n. 

874.  laden.  For  meaning  cf.  Apoc.  14.  2,  '  tamquam  vocem 
aquarum  multarum.'  Jiode^  fele  laden  seems  to  be  treated  by  the 
poet  as  a  compound,  or  Jiode^  is  perhaps  understood  to  be  a  gen.  plur. 


88  ^ottSi 

875-  jTOwej.  The  word  gains  force  if  we  consider  the  poet's 
use  of  it  in  Pur.  220  to  describe  the  rebellious  angels  leaping  in  rout 
from  heaven  5  and  again,  Pur.  504,  the  animals  hurrying  out  of 
the  ark. 

torrej  bio.  Not  '  pale  towers,'  as  in  M.  and  G.  The  correct 
meaning  of  ilo  in  this  case  is  indicated  by  Pur.  1017  (the  Dead 
Sea  is  '  drouy  &  dym,'  '  bio  ...  &  blak  '  ;  cf  Pat.  134,  138), 
and  of  tor  re)  by  Destr.  Troy  1983  and  Pur.  949  f.,  where  in  a  storm 
Clowdej  clustered  bytwene  kesten  vp  torres 
]f>it  jpe  |)ik  J)under  J^rast  ]>irled  hem  ofte. 
See  p.  XX.  The  line  suggests  such  a  scene  in  the  Cumberland  hills 
as  the  poet  may  have  seen  often. 

876.  lote.  Usually,  in  the  alliterative  poems,  of  a  loud  and 
confused,  but  not  unpleasant  noise.  Thus  we  have  the  '  loud  lot 
of  |je  wyndes  '  in  Pat.  161  ;  '  J>e  flode  lotes  '  183  ;  'the  lates  of 
the  foules,'  Alex.  4384.  It  describes  the  noise  of  drums  and  trum- 
pets at  tile  feast  in  Gaiv.   119  j   and  of  the  hunting  horns,  1 91 7. 

877.  SChowted  SCharpe.  So  the  herald  at  Alex.  4729 
'  sett  vp  a  scharp  schoute  at  all  )>e  schaw  ryngis. ' 

879-  note.  Besides  its  musical  meaning  the  word  may  carry 
its  more  general  meaning,  '  matter'  ;  cf  nive  note,  155.  For  an- 
other pun  see  hrfd,  769. 

880.    lufly  dere.     On  the  double  adj.  see  190  n. 
884  f.    Cf.  Milton,  Lines  at  a  Solemn  Music  : 

That  undisturbed  song  of  pure  concent 
Aye  sung  before  the  sapphire-colored  throne 

To  him  that  sits  thereon, 
With  saintly  shout  and  solemn  jubilee. 

889  ff    Cf.  Rich.  RoUe,  ed.  Horstmann,  2.  250  ff.  : 
So  mykel  joye  &  so  mony  are  J>ore 

]jat  alle  ho  clerkes  here  of  lore 
Kouthe  not  telle  \>o  lest  poynte  of  one. 

895.  hit  am.  Cf  1199  ;  Pat.  38,  40,  69.  The  expression 
seems  to  occur  in  statements  of  a  generalizing  nature. 

anioynt.  Not  'joined,'  as  G.  has  it.  ^joyn  or  enjoyn  are 
common  forms  with  the  same  meaning,  as  indicated  by  Erk.  216  : 


iliote0  89 

'  J>ene  was  I  juge  here  enjoyned,'  Other  instances  are  Destr. 
Troy  128,  291,  350,  512,  2328,  etc.  ;  ^kx.  1 197  :  E.  E.  T.  S. 
117.  613.  36. 

905.  Cf.  382,  and  Rich.  Rolle  i.  220  :  '  pou  erte  now  vylere 
J?ane  any  mulcke.' 

among  of  MS.  might  be  changed  to  'amonc'  Cf.  Jionc 
{flong),  1 165  ;Pynk  {pyng),  308,496,  587;  also  59 1  n.,  1038. 
See  Knigge,  p.  69. 

911.  blose.  M.  :  'blaze,  flame.  Icel.  blossi,  a  flame.'  G. : 
'probably  O.  F.  blos^=. pri-ve  (^Je  bon  sens) -^  .  .  .  hence,  "a 
churl."  '  Wright,  DiaL  Diet,  gives  b/oss  as  Northern,  :=  a  buxom 
young  woman,  or,  ironically,  of  any  ugly  sight.  None  of  these  ex- 
planations is  satisfactory  j  probably  rime  determined  the  choice  of 
the  word. 

913-936.    Cf.  Bocc.  201  flF.  : 

Mira  refers  sanctamque  puto,  sedemque  deorum 
Quam  memoras  silvam.   Sed  quis  nam  presidet  illi  } 
Et  comites,  mea  nata,  refer  ritusque  locorum. 

919.  ryche.  G.  renders  'realm,'  but  such  combinations  of 
alliterating  adjectives  occur  elsewhere  :  189,  190,  260,  386.  Cf. 
'Jerusalem  \>e  ryche,'  Pur.  1 1  59;  also  Pur.  786,  812. 

920.  dere.  The  epithet,  and,  in  fact,  the  whole  line,  are  con- 
ventional. In  Pur.  1 794  '  dere  Daryous  '  is  '  dyjt  vpon  trone  '  ; 
cf.  'dere  Darius  on  dese,'  Alex.  1720  ;  'David  \>e.  dere,'  Morte 
Arth.  3417  ;  '  David  full  dere,'  Pari,  of  the  Thre  Ages  448. 

920  f.    Kolbing  suspects  these  ^o/'i,  since  two  are  cacophonous. 

922.  note.  So  in  Erk.  38  the  new  building  of  St.  Paul's  is 
'  a  noble  note.' 

928.    yOW.     I.  e.,meyny;   cf.  384n. 

932.  and.  A  natural  reiteration,  but  G.'s  rejection  may  be 
right. 

939.   Jjat.    Demonstrative;   cf.  384 n. 

944.  theme,  teme  is  the  correct  pronunciation,  and  doubtless 
the  spelling  in  the  scribe's  original ;  note  alliteration,  and  teme,  Pat. 
37,  358;  Gaiv.  1541,  and  the  fact  that  the  common  M.  E. 
spelling  is  with  i,  not  tA.  So  throne,  in  alliteration  with  trone, 
tras,  1 1 13;   hut  trone,  835,  920,  1 05 1,  1055. 

Holthausen  questions  the  length  of  this  verse,  and  would  substi- 


90  i^otefi 

tute  John  for  either  pe  apoitel  or  in  Apocalyppce.  The  combination 
occurs  at  996,   1008,  1020. 

947.  The  implied  thought  seems  to  be  '  Ours  is  not  an  earthly 
flock  and  an  earthly  city,  and  therefore  has  no  need  of  the  earthly 
protection  of  fold  or  moat,  such  as  you  seem  to  expect.'  Cf.  Matz- 
ner  s.  v.  fiake. 

949  ff.  The  sense  is  :  •  To  speak  accurately  of  these  two  cities, 
if  both  are  called  Jerusalem,  that  name  merely  signifies  "  city  of 
God,"  '  etc. 

952.  cete  of  God.  No  doubt  alluding  to  Heb.  12.  22  ;  '  Sed 
accessistis  ad  Sion  montem,  et  civitatem  Dei  viventis,  Jerusalem 
caelestem,'  etc.  ;  or  to  Apoc.  3.  12  :  '  Nomen  civitatis  Dei  mei, 
novae  Jerusalem.' 

Syjt  of  pes.  The  usual  interpretation  in  the  Middle  Ages.  It 
occurs  frequently  from  Origen  down.  See  Cook's  exhaustive  note 
on  Chrht  30  in  his  edition.  M.  E.  examples  of  this  interpretation 
are  0.  E.  Homilw  (E.  E.  T.  S.)  I.  79;  2.  53;  Rich.  RoUe 
I.  212. 

956.  Cf.  650  n. 

957.  to.     See  146  n. 

962.  flor.  Etymology  and  rime  would  not  prevent  the  spelling 
flour  (cf.  426),  hour,  etc.  for  the  words  thus  riming  in  this  stanza  ; 
cf.  wygour,  971- 

973  ff-  With  this  description  of  the  New  Jerusalem  should  be 
compared  a  similar  one  in  the  vision  of  the  Red  Cross  Knight  in 
Spenser,  F.  i^.  i.  10,  stanzas  55-58. 

974.    Cf.   196  n. 

976.   veued.    See  772  n. 

978.    launcej.     M.  and  G.  :  'branches.' 

981.  breued.  Alliteration  points  to  this  reading;  the  word 
occurs  at  755  ;  Gaiv.  1393,  1436,  1488,  2521  ;  Pur.  197.  The 
sense  would  then  be  :  '  Till  I  caught  sight  of  the  city  and  gazed 
upon  it  as  I  hurried  along,  revealed  beyond  the  brook  at  some  dis- 
tance from  me.' 

991.  gentyl  gemmej.  Cf.  'gentilestejowelle,'  Aforre-^^r?^. 
862  ;  '  iaspe  he  gentil,'  Boddeker  145.  3  ;  E.  E.  T.  S.  26.  88. 
16.      Cf.   1015  ;    7  n. 

992-    bantelej.     This  word  seems  to  have  connection  with 


the  obscure  word  embaned.  Its  meaning  is  perhaps  indicated  by 
a  comparison  of  this  passage  with  1017,  and  with  two  others.  In 
Pur.  1457  f.  among  the  sacred  vessels  are  '  cowpes  tul  clene,  as 
casteles  arayed,  Embaned  vnder  batelment  with  banteUej  quoynt.' 
When  Gawain,  Gaiv.  788  f. ,  reaches  the  castle  of  Morgan  la  Fay, 
he  gazes  from  the  moat  up  its  huge  height, 

Of  harde  hewen  ston  vp  to  )>e  tablej, 
Embaned  vnder  )>e  abataylment,  in  J>e  best  lawe. 
Here,  992,  we  have  the  banteh  mounted  upon  a  base  (cf.  1000), 
and  corresponding  to  the  twelve  foundations  of  different  stones  ; 
above  these  banteh  rises  the  wall,  1 01  7.  They  seem  to  be  the  steps 
rising  in  the  twelve  courses  of  the  foundation  up  to  the  wall.  In 
Pur.  1458  they  are  reversed,  and  would  be  called  'corbel  courses.' 
The  construction  is  seen  in  many  mediaeval  walls.  Cf.  Plate  xxvii 
in  the  Roxburghe  Club  edition  of  Mande-vine's  Tra-vels.  G.  inter- 
prets it  '  pillars  '  (transl.  ),  and  '  crossbeam  '  (n.  ),  deriving  it  from 
O.  F.  handel. 

lOOl.  he  glente  grene.  In  its  most  precious  form  jasper 
is  green. 

1007-    rybe.    '  Sextum  sardius,'  Apoc.  21.  zo. 

lOii.  f'C  beryl  cler  &  quyt.    Cf.  Pur.  554  ff.  : 

As  be  beryl  bornyst  byhouej  be  clene, 

pat  is  sounde  on  vche  a  syde  &  no  sem  habes, 

Withouten  maskle  ojier  mote  as  margerye  perle. 

1012.  twynne-how.  G.reads/wynne-^o-aj,' twin-hue,' cit- 
ing Bede's  Explan.  Apocalfpsis,  '  "  topasius  .  .  .  duos  habere  fertur 
colores."  '  But  the  form  for  hue  in  this  text  is  spelled  and  pro- 
nounced differently  from  hoiv^  evidently  consisting  at  times  of  two 
syllables  :  huee,  842  ;  hwe,  896  ;  hivej,  90  ;  cf  hues  (end  of  the 
line).  Pur.  1483  ;  hivej,  1 1 19  (end),  Gaiv.  707  (end),  1738  ; 
hive.  Gaiv.  147,  234.    But  it  is  difficult  to  construe  hoiv  as  the  conj. 

1013.  ty^t.     See  309  n. 

1014.  jacyngh.  The  form  may  be  due  to  the  late  Latin  form 
iacinctus,  which  this  renders  ;  also  iacinct,  Hali  Meidenh.  43  j 
iacynctis,  Wyclif,  Song  Sol.  5.   14. 

1015.  gentyleste.    Cf.  7  n.  and  991  n. 
IOI7.    Supply  warj  after  bent-  cf  83  n. 


92  iliote0 

IO18.  O  jasporye.  With  the  extended  form  jasporye  cf. 
topasye  1 01 2;   topasiune.  Land  of  Cockaygne  92. 

I025f-  Perhaps  these  lines  are  independent  sentences  with 
•wern  and  ivatj  understood  ;   see  83  n. 

1026.  glayre.  Lilie  Ezek.  8.2:  '  Quasi  aspectus  splendoris, 
ut  visioelectri '  ;  cf.  i.  27  :  '  Quasi  speciem  electri,  velut  aspectum 
ignis  '  ;   also  1 .  4. 

1029.  So  of  Babylon,  Pur.  1 387  :  '  Uch  a  syde  upon  soyle 
helde  seven  myle. ' 

1030.  twelue.  An  alteration,  perhaps  deliberate,  of  twelve 
thousand  (stadia  duodecim  millia)  in  Apoc.  21.   16. 

1031.  cayre.  Not  cayre  <  O.  N.  keyra  (M.  and  G.),  but 
probably  <  F.  quarer,  carter  (see  N.  E.  D.  s.  v.  quare'),  with  the 
vowel  slightly  modified  for  rime.  This  is  further  indicated  by  the 
context  and  the  source  in  Apoc.  21.   16. 

1036.  pyked.  Perhaps  merely  'adorned.'  But  cf.  Gaiv. 
769,  '  a  pyked  palays,  pyned  ful  j^ik,'  and  Cath.  Angl.  s.  v.  pyked. 
The  poet  may  be  thinking  of  portals  adorned  with  pinnacle  or  finial, 
and  covered  with  plates,  probably  of  gold  ;  cf.  Alex.  4894  ;  '  J>e 
jatis  ware  of  jetan  gold  jarkid  (furnished)  of  platis.' 

1038.   fatej.    See  905  n. 

IO41.  whate^.  Seep,  xlvi,  n.  3.  This  expansion,  riming  with 
date^,  etc.,  would  indicate  that  ivat^,  rather  than  ivacj,  as  G.  has 
it  throughout,  is  the  spelling  intended. 

1050.  SOtyle  cler.  The  exact  reverse  of  Milton's  '  palpable 
obscure,'  P.  L.  2.  406  ;  cf.  Scott,  Lady  of  the  Lake  3.  26  :  '  No 
murmur  waked  the  solemn  still.'  Also  Spenser,  F.  ^.  i.  7.  6  : 
'  And  mightie  strong  was  turned  to  feeble  frail.'    See  190  n. 

1059.  See  I II  n. 

1060.  galle  o]7er  glet.  N.  E.  D.  (s.  v.  galP)  cites  the 
early  modern  German  'voller  galle  und  gles'x,  (Grimm),  '  said  of  a 
rock  full  of  unsound  places. ' 

1063.  mynyster.    Cf  11  n. 

1064.  The  celebration  of  mass  in  heaven.  Albertus  says:  '  Hjec 
[eucharistia]  enim  erit  ccena  nuptiarum  Agni  (Apoc.  19.  9)  ...  . 
In  deiiciis  paradisi  Dei  nostri  sumitur  corpus  Domini.  Ibi  enim  cum 
Patre  aeterno  nos  honorante  per  suum  consensum  ad  mensam  sede- 
mus.     Ibi  Filius  praecinctus  decore  et  lumine  se  nobis  ministrat ' 


#Ote0  93 

(De  EucAaristica,  Dist.  3,  Tract.  4,  Cap.  5,  Opera,  ed.  Borgnet, 
38.  328).    Cf.  1.  862. 

1065.  stoken.  Cf.  Pur.  884:  'Stekenjje  jates  ston-harde 
wyth  stalworth  barrej. ' 

1066.  lone.  Doubtless  the  lanes  outside  the  city  are  meant. 
The  sense  is  then  '  open  toward  every  lane,'  and  thus  accessible 
from  each. 

1070.  spotty.  So  the  moon's  'spotty  globe,'  Milton,  P.  L. 
I.  291  ;   Thomson,  Autumn  1091,  'her  spotted  disk.' 

1070  ff.  The  poet  fully  appreciated  the  moon's  beauty;  cf. 
1093.  The  force  of  these  lines  is  enhanced  by  considering  his 
susceptibility  to  the  splendor  of  moonlight  as  shown  in  the  fine 
figure  at  1093. 

1072.  So  Tennyson,  Ulysses  :   'The  slow  moon  climbs.' 

1073.  Cf  1045  ff.,  and  Moral  Ode  74  f.  :  '  His  eyen  beo}>  so 
brihte,  sunne  and  mone,  heuene,  and  fur  beo>  |>eostre  ayeyn  his 
lyhte. '    See  table  of  Biblical  references. 

to-euen.  Virtually  a  compound,  though  the  simple  verb  e-ven 
is  sufficient,  as  in  Alex.  1870,  4483,  the  prep,  being  in  one  case 
•with,  in  the  other  to.  It  is  not  improbable,  however,  that  &  is 
copied  by  mistake  from  107 1,  in  which  case  to  euen  is  the  inf.  of 
purpose  with  clym. 

1076.  Cf.  the  same  thought  with  slightly  different  application 
in  Milton's  Nati-vity  Hymn  79  ff. 

1077.  tres  ful  schym.    Cf.  76  ff.  and  n. 

1082.    Cf.  225  and  n. 

fleschly.  Cf.  boJyly,  1090;  mane^,  1 154.  All  these  words 
are  significant  by  the  fact  that  he  was  at  this  time  out  of  the  body  ; 
see  61.    Cf.  223  n. 

1085.  dased  quayle.  See  345  and  n.  Cf  Chaucer, 
•  couche  as  doth  a  quayle,'  Clerk's  Tale,  Envoi  30.  This  simile 
seems  to  show  rather  nice  observation.  In  Sandys  and  van  Dyke's 
Upland  Game  Birds,  pp.  28,  29,  Edwyn  Sandys  describes  a  '  dased 
quayle  '  upon  which  a  '  rare  good  dog  '  actually  stepped  before  it 
flushed  ;  '  it  was  badly  scared  and  had  its  plumage  compressed  about 
it  as  tightly  as  possible.' 

I088.  glymme.  N.  E.  D.  (s.  v.  g.'im )  suggests  '  delight '  as  the 
meaning  of  glymme  ;   '  brightness  '  is  certainly  more  characteristic. 


94  iliotefi 

1090.    Cf.  225  and  n. 

1093.  maynful  mone.  So  '  the  mone  in  the  merke  myghtely 
shone,'  Destr.  Troy  3195  ;  '  J^e  mone  wi)>  hire  muchele  maht,* 
Boddeker  156.   19. 

1093  f.    The  moment  is  that  of  twilight,  when  one  who  per- 
haps has  been  watching  the  sunset  turns,  and  is  suddenly  surprised 
with  the  moon  hanging  in  full  and  marvelous  splendor  just  above  the 
horizon.    Similarly  the  radiant  host  of  the  redeemed  bursts  suddenly 
upon  the  unprepared  gaze  of  the  poet.    This  fine  simile,  condensed 
as  it  is,  may  be  classed  with  the  one  at  115  (cf.  n.  ).   Both,  as  show- 
ing the  poet's  observation   of  nocturnal  beauty,  may  be  compared 
with  Pur.  1758  fF.,  in  still  a  different  mood,  where  the  feast  lasted 
tyl  fayled  \>e  sunne  ; 
penne  blykned  ^e  ble  of  J>e  bryjt  skwes, 
Mourkenes  t>e  mery  weder,  &  be  myst  dryues 
J)orj  \>e  lyst  of  J>e  lyfte,  bi  ^e  loj  medoes. 

1094.  day-glem.  So  day-raive,  Pur.  893  ;  heuen-glem,  ib. 
946. 

dryue  al  doun.  So  '  the  day  yeid  doun,'  Gol.  and  Gaiv.  228  ; 
and  at  dawn  '  the  day  vp  droghe,'  Destr.  Troy  755  j  cf.  1 1078  ; 
Alex.  561,  6865   Segeofjer.  850. 

1 108.  liure^.  The  word  suggests  again  the  feudal  conception  of 
Christ  which  underlies  the  poet's  version  of  the  parable  of  the  vine- 
yard and  the  description  of  heaven.  It  had  higher  associations  than 
with  us.  In  like  manner:  '  Meknes  is  a  clothyng  of  all  colors.  .  .  . 
Mercy  is  likende  to  whyte.  .  .  .  Drede  has  colors  of  rede.  .  .  .  pes 
Jire  are  calde  \>e.  lefra  (liveries)  of  cure  lorde,  bat  he  cleths  his 
childer  ineor  baimay  comme  tohym  '  (Rich.  Rolle,  ed.  Horstmann, 
I.  172,  frag.  ).   Cf.  Milton's  '  thousand  liveried  angels,'  Cow«i 455. 

1 1 10.  Like  Bonaventura's  description  [Diata  Sa/utis,  tit.  10, 
Cap.  6 )  :  '  Christus  est  et  erit  ille  chorealis  ductor,  ducens  ac 
praecedens  illam  sociatatem  beatissimam.  Et  ideo  dicitur,  quod  agnus 
qui  in  medio  throni  est,  reget  eos,  &  alii  sequenturagnum  quocumque 
ierit.'    Cf.  also  Mone,  Hymn.  Med.  ^-vii  3.  160  : 

Te  agnum  sine  macula 
jam  sequitur  stola  Candida, 
filium  virginis, 
quocumque  virginum  flos  ieris. 


il^otes!  95 

XIII.  red  golde.  Apparently  added  for  embellishment  by  the 
poet. 

1 1 13.  trone  a  traS.  M.  (p.  205)  citeisMorte  Arth.  4055 : 
'  The  trays  of  the  traytore  he  trynys  fuUe  evenne';   cf  Pat.  loi. 

throne.    Cf.  944  n. 

1 114.  plyt.  See  647  n.  and  309  n.  '  There  was  no  crowd- 
ing in  their  condition. '  Perhaps  the  part.  adj.  implyt,  '  entangled,'  is 
intended. 

1 1 15.  The  simile  is  not  uncommon  ;  cf.  '  meke  as  a  mayden,* 
Destr.  Troy  130,  3745,  3892;  Horstmann,  188  I,  467.  57.  Kol- 
bing,  Eng.  Stud.  1 6.  273,  says:  '  Der  Dichter  denkt  jedenfalls  an  das 
Messopfer,  wo  leicht  ein  Streit  um  die  durch  den  Rang  bestimmte 
Reihenfolge  enstehen  kann  (vgl.  Chaucer,  C.  T.,  Prol.  449  ff.  und 
Zupitza  z.  d.  St.,  Anglia  I.  479  f.),  an  dem  sich  freilich  sitt- 
same  [seme]  Madchen  nichl  betheiligen  werden  ;  so  denkt  auch 
hier  keines  an  Rangunterschiede.' 

1121.  legyounes  of  aungele^.  Apoc.  5.  11  says,  'ange- 
lorum  multorum  '  ;  legyounes  is  due,  no  doubt  to  '  legiones  angelo- 
rum'  of  Matt.  26.  53. 

1 122.  kesten  ensens.  Evidently  a  current  expression.  Cf. 
Alex.  163,  where  to  the  god  Serapis  they  '  ensence  castis.' 

1 126.  Vertues-  One  of  the  nine  orders  of  angels.  See  Rom. 
8.  38  ;  Eph.  I.  21  ;  Col.  I.  16.  They  were  first  described  in  a 
treatise  attributed  to  Dionysius,  De  Coe/esti  Hierarchia  (see  ch.  8). 
Cf.  Thomas  Aquinas,  Summa  I,  Quaest.  108.  G.  cites  a  M.  E. 
enumeration  in  Horstmann,  1881,  Ipotis  90  ff.  The  poet  may  have 
taken  the  phrase  Vertues  of  heuen  from  the  preface  in  the  mass  for 
the  Assumption  (cf.  p.  xvi)  and  other  feasts  of  the  Virgin  :  '  Per 
quem  Majestatem  tuam  laudant  Angeli,  adorant  Dominationes,  tre- 
munt  Potestates,  Coeli,  coelorumque  Virtutes,  ac  beata  Seraphim, 
socia  exultatione  concelebrant.' 

II29f.  The  poet  seems  to  mean,  'Glad  desire  entered  my 
heart  to  describe  the  Lamb  with  many  a  marvel.' 

1 135.  -wyse  is  always  transitive  in  O.  E.  and  M.  E.  Cf.  Pur. 
453,  1564;  Pat.  60;  Gaiv.  549,  739.  Perhaps  it  has  the  con- 
notation of  a  middle  voice  here,  and  means  '  appear '  ;  or  should 
we  read  con  he  ivyse  ? 

II41.    A  difficult  line.    '  (Yet)  it  would  please  none  to  doubt 


9^  0OttiS 

the  Lamb's  joy.'  As  it  stands,  Lombe  and  delyt  seem  to  constitute 
a  double  object  of  ivene.    Perhaps  Lombe^  is  the  correct  reading. 

1 146.  wyth  lyf  wern  laste  &  lade.  As  in  578.  cf. 
Matt.  19.  29  ;  John  10.  10. 

1 152.  luf-longyng.  Cf.  '  Ich  libbe  in  loue-longynge,'  Bod- 
deker  147.  5  ;  'A  swete  loue-longynge  Mynherte}>ourhoutstong,' 
196.  3,  4. 

1 154.    malte.    See  224  n.    Cf  this  line  with  225  and  n. 

1 159  f.  Two  interpretations  are  possible  :  (  i )  '  If  no  one  could 
prevent  my  plunging  into  the  stream,  1  expected  {I po^t,  1157)  to 
swim  the  remaining  distance,  though  I  should  die  for  it  at  the  end 
{P^'')'  i  (^)  (supposing  that  and  belongs  at  the  beginning  of  1 160, 
instead  of  11 59)  '  None  could  prevent  my  plunging  in,  and  even 
swimming  across,  though  I  should  die  at  the  end.'    G.  follows  ( i ). 

I161.  munt.  In  Gaiv.  2274,  2290,  2345,  2350,  2352,  this 
and  kindred  words  connote  violence  or  precipitation,  but  not  at  Pur. 
1628. 

1 167.  raas-  The  correct  form  would  be  res,  as  at  Pur.  1782  ; 
Ga-w.  1 164,  1899;  from  O.  E.  ras. 

1 175-  Sykyng.  The  only  instance  in  the  poem  of  the  pres. 
part,  in  -ytig.  See  p.  xii,  n.  6.  The  combination  of  this  word  with 
sayd  is  a  formula  in  alliterative  poems.  Thus,  ♦  sykande  he  sayde,' 
Pur.  715  ;  'sykynghe  he  sayde,'  Gaiv.  753  ■  so  Destr.  Troy  S66; 
Morte  Arth.  i-j^K,.  But  such  a  phrase  as  luith  syking,  or  the 
gerund  in  various  other  adverbial  phrases  is  even  commoner  ;  cf. 
'seid  withe  siking  sare,'  Aivntyrs  of  Arth.  88  ;  Destr.  Troy  495, 
2168,  2680,3288,  8032,  8452,  etc.  ;  Alex.  5052.  Three  expla- 
nations of  the  exceptional  form  are  possible  :  ( i  )  the  usual  one,  that 
this  is  a  variation  due  to  a  Southern  scribe  5(2)  that  &  sykyng  is  an 
error  for  ivith  sykyng  (but  cf.  Gaiv.  753  with  1796)  ;  or  (3)  that 
through  a  word  of  this  kind,  which  was  almost  stereotyped  in  its 
use,  now  as  verbal  noun,  and  now  as  a  pres.  part. ,  to  express  one 
and  the  same  idea,  the  -ing  form  was  more  easily  confused  with  the 
pres.  part.,  and  was  here  supplanting  the  -ande  form  more  rapidly 
than  in  the  case  of  other  words. 

1 186.  garlande.  Suggested  by  the  '  flurted  flowrej,'  208.? 
But  Bonaventura  says  {Diata  Sa/utis,  Tit.  10,  Cap.  2)  :  'In  iljo 
caelesti  regno  est  sertum  speciosum  vel  corona,  quia  dicitur  in  Psalmo 


i^otr0  97 

[20]  de  quolibet  sancto  :  "  Posuisti  in  capite  ejus  coronam  de  lapide 
pretioso."  Iste  lapis  est  margarita  ilia,  quam  qui  invenit,  vendit 
omnia,  etc.  [Matt.  13]'. 

1189.   hade  I.    A  protasis  (see  421  n.)  to  apodosis  in  1194. 

1 193.  present.    Cf.  389  n. 

1 1 95.    Cf.   131  and  n. 

ofhappe.    Construe  with  TOor«. 

1199.  hit  arn  mad.    See  290  n. 5  895  n. 

1204.   Frende.    Cf.  a  Hymn  to  Christ,  E.  E.  T.  S.  26.  86. 

78,79: 

Wele  aghte  myn  herte  \>2.n  to  be  his, 
ffor  he  es  J^at  frende  {^at  neuer  will  faile. 
1205-    See  19,  41  n.,  1172. 
1209.    Cf.  Bone  Florence  1004: 

Be  hym  y  sawe  in  forme  of  bredd 
When  the  preest  can  synge. 
Also  1 10 1,  a  Lord  '  that  preestys  schewe  in  forme  of  bredd.'   Im- 
mediately after  the  consecration  of  each  element  in  the  mass  occurs 
this  rubric  :   '  Genuflexus  [sacerdos]  adorat,  surgit,  oi/if«J/r/'c//)a/o,' 
etc.    See  p.  li. 

121 1,  gef  (pret. )  is  a  probable  error  for  gyue  (pres.  subj.), 
this  and  the  last  line  constituting  the  customary  prayer  at  the  close 
of  a  poem. 

1212.  Cf.  I  and  p.  xlvii. 


2B>itilical  OSuotationif  anti  ailu^ion^  in 


LINES 


31-32 John  12.  24,  25. 

197 Rev.  19.  8. 

285 Ps.  119  ( 1 18). 1  174,  17s?  or  I.  2? 

301—12 John  20.  29. 

315,  316 James  4.  13-15  ? 

401-404 1  Pet.  5.  5,  6  ? 

405 Is.   18.  7  ;   cf.  Ps.  24  (23).   3. 

416 Ps-  23  (22).  6  ;   cf.  93  (92).  5. 

458 I  Cor.  6.  15. 

458-466 I  Cor.  12.  12-17  5   21-27. 

501-576 Matt.  20.   1-16. 

595,  596 Ps.  62.  II,  12  (61.  12,  13). 

650 John  19.  34. 

652 Rev.  21.  8. 

656-659 1  Cor.   15.  22. 

675 Matt.  5.  8  .?     Rev.  22.  4  .?     See  n. 

678,  679 Ps.  24  (23).  3;   15  (14).  I. 

681,  682 Ps.  24  (23).  4. 

683 Ps.    121    (120).    1-3  ;    26   (25).    12. 

686-688 Ps.  15  (14).  1-3. 

687 Ps.  24(23).  4. 

689-692 Wisdom  10.  9,  10.    ' 

693,  694 Gen.  28.   13-15  ;    13.   14,   15. 

699,   700 Ps.   143  (142).  2. 

712-719 Matt.    19.    13,    14;    Mk.    10.    13,    14; 

Luke  18.  15,  16. 

721 Matt.  18.  2  or  Mk.  9.  35  (34). 

722-726 Matt.    18.   3  ;   Mk.    lo.    15  ;  Luke   18. 

17  (cf.  n.). 
727,  728 Luke  II.   10. 

'  References  only  to  the  Vulgate  are  in  parenthesis. 


llSiblical  ^llusfions  99 

730-739 Matt.  13.  45,  46. 

76a,  763 Song  of  Songs  4.  7,  8. 

766 Rev.  7.  13,   14. 

786-789 Rev.   14.   I,  3,  4. 

790-792 Rev.  19.  7,  8  ;  21.2. 

801-803 Is.  53.  7  ;  Matt.  26.  63  (27.  12)  j  Mk. 

14.  61  (15.  5). 

807-809 Is.  53.  4,  5  ;   cf.  Luke  22.  64. 

815,  819 Is.  53.  7. 

822-824 Is.  53.  6,   10  ;  John  I.  29. 

824-827 Is.  53.  II,   12. 

826 Is.  53.  9,  10. 

827 Is.  53.  8. 

835 Rev.  5.  6. 

837 Rev.  6.  8. 

838 Rev.  5.   I. 

839 Rev.  5.   13. 

841-843 I  Pet.    I.    19?     Cf.   Rev.    i.    13  ;  Dan. 

7-  9- 

845,  846 Rev.  14.  5;  19-  7,  8. 

860 Heb.   10.    10,  12,  14  ;   cf.  n. 

867,  868 Rev.   14.  I. 

869,   870 Rev.  14.  3,  4. 

871-873 Rev.  14.  I.  2. 

879 Rev.   14.  3. 

881 Rev.  14.  2. 

885-898 Rev.  14.  3-5. 

943 Rev.  21.  2,  10. 

952 Heb.    12.    22  ;    Rev.    3.    12  ;   cf.   Ezek. 

13.   16. 
966,   967,   970-972  .  .Rev.  21.  27;  22.  14. 

976,  979 Rev.  21.  10. 

985-988 Rev.  21.  2. 

989-993 Rev.  21.  18,  19  ;  cf.   14. 

999-1016 Rev.  21.   19,  20. 

10 1 8 Rev.  21.   II  or  18. 

1023,   1024 Rev.  21.  16. 

1025 Rev.  21.  21. 


100  llBtbltcal  3llu0ion0 

1026 ' Rev.  21.  18  ;  cf.  Ezek.  8.  2,  and  n. 

1 029-1 032 Rev.  21.  15,  16. 

1034,  1035 Rev.  21.  12,  13. 

1036-1038 Rev.  21.  21. 

1039-1042 Rev.  21.  12. 

1043-1048 Rev.  21.  23. 

1051-1054 Rev.  4.  2-11. 

1055 Rev.  22.  I. 

1061-1063 Rev.  21.  22. 

1064 Rev.  5.  6,  12. 

1065,   1066 Rev.  21.  25. 

1069,  1070 Rev.  21.  23. 

1071 Rev.  21.  25. 

1072-1076 Rev.  21.  23  ;  cf.  2  Kings  (4  Kings)  23. 

5;   Is.    13.    10;   24.    23  ;    I  Cor.   15. 

40,  41. 

1077-1080 Rev.  22.  2. 

1 106 Rev.  21.  21. 

1 107 Rev.  5.  II. 

Iiii Rev.  5.  6. 

II19 Rev.  5.  8. 

1121 Rev.  5.  1 1  ;  Matt.  26.  53  ;  see  n. 

1122 Rev.  5.  8. 

1123-1127 Rev.  5.  IX-13. 

II46 Matt.  19.  29  ;  cf.  John  10.  10. 


25iWiograjjf)p 


I     EDITIONS 

Early  English  AlHterati've  Poems  in  the  West-Midland 
Dialect  of  the  Fourteenth  Century.  Edited  by  Richard  Morris. 
Early  English  Text  Society  I.  London,  1864.  Revised  and  re- 
printed 1869,  1885,  1896,  1901.      Cited  as  M. 

Pearl,  an  English  Poem  of  the  Fourteenth  Century.  Edited, 
ivitA  a  Modern  Rendering,  by  Israel  Gollanc%.  London,  1 89 1. 
Cited  as  G. 

II     TRANSLATIONS 

GoLLANCz,  see  under  I. 

A.  R.  Brown,  Poet  Lore  5.  434-436.  Line-for-line  rendering 
of  158-172. 

Palgrave,  as  cited  under  VII.  A  rendering  of  stanza  4  in  almost 
the  metre  of  the  original. 

S.  Weir  Mitchell,  Pearl,  rendered  into  Modern  English 
Verse.  New  York,  1906.  Includes  forty-six  stanzas,  nearly  all 
from  the  first  half  of  the  poem 

G.  G.  CouLTON,  Pearl  rendered  into  Modern  English.  London, 
1906.  Line-for-line  version  in  metre  of  the  original.  Cf.  also 
Ne'w  York  E-vening  Post  for  August  4,  and  9,   1906. 

The  author  of  the  present  edition  has  prepared  a  translation  in 
modern  prose  which  will  probably  be  soon  forthcoming. 

Ill    MANUSCRIPT,  COLLATIONS,   AND  TEXTUAL 
CRITICISM 

Syr  Gaivayne  ;  a  Collection  of  Ancient  Romance  Poems.  Edited 
by  Frederic  Madden.      London,  1839.      Pp.  xlvii-1. 

FicK,  pp.  5-7,  as  cited  under  V. 

Athenaum  3328. 184.    Anonymous  review  of  GoUancz'  edition. 

E.  KoLBiNG,  Englische  Studien  16.  268-273.  Review  of  Gol- 
lancz'  edition. 


I02  Bibliograptip 

R.  Morris,  Academy  39.  6ozj  40.  76. 
I.  GoLLANCZ,  Academy  40.   36,  116. 

F.  HoLTHAUSEN,  Hcrrig' s  Arch'fv  90.    142— 148. 

J.  J.  JussERAND,  Pters  Ploivman,  a  Contribution  to  the  History 
of  English  Mysticism.  London,  1894.  P.  I  a,  facsimile  of  the  first 
of  four  rude  pictures  in  MS.  Cotton  Nero  A  x  illustrating  The 
Pearl. 

Garnet  and  Gosse,  as  cited  under  VII;  contains  facsimiles  of  two 
of  the  miniatures. 

IV     METRE 

J.  ScHlPPER,  Englische  Metrik.    Bonn,  1881.    I.  223,  317,421. 

J.  FuHRMANN,  Die  Alliterierenden  Sprachformeln  in  Morris" 
Early  English  Alliterati-ve  Poems  und  im  Sir  Gaivayne  and  the 
Green  Knight.    Hamburg,   1886. 

J.  ScHippER,  Grundnss  der  Englischen  Metrik.  Wien  und  Leip- 
zig, 1895.    P-  332- 

Clark  S.  Northup,  Study  of  the  Metrical  Structure  of  The 
Pearl.  Publications  of  the  Modern  Language  Association  12.  326- 
40. 

K.  LuicK,  Paul's  Grundriss,  Zweite  Aufl.,  2.  z.  168.  Strass- 
burg,  1905. 

J.  Schipper,  Paul's  Grundriss  2.  2.  239. 

G.  Saintsburv,  History  of  English  Prosody.  London,  1906. 
I.    106-8. 


V     PHONOLOGY,   DIALECT,   AND  GRAMMAR 

ScHWAHN,  Die  Conjugation  in  Sir  Gaivayn  and  the  Green 
Knight  und  den  sogenannten  Early  English  Alliterati've  Poems. 
Strassburg,  1884. 

W.  Pick,  Zum  Mittelenglischen  Gedicht  "von  der  Perle.  Eine 
Lautuntersuchung.     Kiel,  1 885. 

F.  Knigge,  Die  Sprache  des  Dichters  "von  Sir  Gatvain  and  the 
Green  Knight,  der  sogenannten  Early  English  Alliterati've  Poems, 
und  De  Erkenivalde.     Marburg,   1885. 

L.  MoRSBACH,  Mittelenglische  Grammatik.  Halle,  1896.  Pp. 
9.  IS- 


Bibliograpl)^  103 

VI     AUTHOR    AND    DATE 

M.  Trautmann,  Uber  Verfasser  und  Entstehungszeit  Einiger 
Alliterirender  Gedichte  del  AltenengUichen.    Halle,  1876. 

M.  Trautmann,  Der  Dichter  Huchoiun  und  seme  Werke. 
Anglia  1.   109-149. 

E.  Guest,  A  History  of  English  Rhythms.  Second  edition,  by 
W.  W.  Skeat.    London,  1882.    Pp.  458-464. 

M.  C.  Thomas,  Sir  Gaivayne  and  the  Green  Knight.  A  Com- 
parison ivith  the  French  Perce-val,  preceded  by  an  In-vestigation  of 
the  Author^  s  other  Works.    Zurich,  1883. 

J.  T.  T.  Brown,  The  Poems  of  Da-vid  Rate.  Scottish  Antiquary 
12.  S-12. 

G.  Neilson,  Sir  Heiv  of  Eglintoun  and  Huchotvn  of  the  Atvle 
Ryale  :  a  Biographical  Calendar  and  Literary  Estimate.  Proceed- 
ings of  the  Philosophical  Society  of  Glasgoiu  32.  111-150. 

G.  Neilson,  Crosslinks  between  Pearl  and  the  Aivntyrs  of 
Arthur.    Scottish  Antiq.   16.  67-78. 

G.  Neilson,  ^Huchoivn  of  the  Atvle  Ryale,'  the  AUiterati-ve 
Poet.  A  Historical  Criticism  of  Fourteenth  Century  Poems  ascribed 
to  Sir  Heiv  of  Eglintoun.    Glasgow,  1902. 

Carleton  F.  Brown,  The  Author  of  The  Pearl,  Considered  in 
the  Light  of  his  Theological  Opinions.  Publications  of  the  Modern 
Language  Association  of  America  19.   1 1 5-1 53- 

VII     INTERPRETATION,  STYLE,   AND    LITERARY 
HISTORY 

J.  Veitch,  The  Feeling  for  Nature  in  Scottish  Poetry.  Edin- 
burgh and  London,   1887.     I.  134-145. 

B.  ten  Brink,  History  of  English  Literature.  Tr.  by  H.  M. 
Kennedy.    New  York,  1889.    i.  336-351. 

H.  Bradley,  Academy  38.  201,  249.    On  11.  689-692. 

I.  GoLLANCz,  Academy  38.  223.      On  11    689-691. 

A.  Brandl,  PiJa/'j  Grundriss.    Strassburg,  1893.     2.   661-665. 

E.  T.  McLaughlin,  Studies  in  Media'val  Life  and  Literature. 
New  York  and  London,  1894.    Pp.  18,  19,  30. 

J.  J.  Jusserand,  a  Literary  History  of  the  English  People. 
New  York  and  London,  1895.      Pp.  351,  352. 


104  llBibliograpt)^ 

W.  J.  CouRTHOPE,  History  of  English  Poetry.  New  York  and 
London,  1895.     i.  349-351  j  366. 

F.  T.   Palgrave,  Landscape  in  Poetry.    London,  1897.    Pp 

JIS-117  ^    . 

H.  MoRLEY,  English  Writers.    Second  edition.   London,  Pans, 

etc.,  1889.    4.  144-149. 

G.  KoRTiNG,  Grundriss  der  Geschichte  der  Englischen  Littera- 
tur.    Dritte  Auflage.    Miinster,  1899.    Pp.   iii,  112. 

C.  Weichardt,  Die  Entivicklung  des  Naturgefiihls  in  der  Mit- 
teknglischen  Dichtung  -von  Chaucer,  einschliessUch  des  Gaivain- 
Dichters.    Kiel,   1900.     Pp.  77-96. 

G.  Saintsbury,  a  Short  History  of  English  Literature.  New 
York  and  London,  1900.    Pp.  78-81. 

F.J.  Snell,  The  Age  of  Chaucer.    London,  190 1.    Pp.  19-24. 

J.  T,  T.  Brown,  Huchoivn  of  the  Aivle  Ryale  and  his  Poems, 
examined  in  the  Light  of  Recent  Criticism.  Glasgow,  1 902.  Sum- 
mary in  Proceedings  of  the  Royal  Philosophical  Society   of  Glasgow 

33-  315  f- 

H.  F.  Heath  in  Traill's  Social  England.    London  and  New  York, 

1902.      2.  205-206. 

R.  Garnett  and  E.  Gosse,  English  Literature,  an  Illustrated 
Record.    New  York  and  London,  1903.     I.  1 19-123. 

W.  H.  ScHOFlELD,  The  Nature  and  Fabric  of  The  Pearl.  Publi- 
cations of  tie  Modern  Language  Association  of  America  19.  154- 
215. 

VIII     MIDDLE    ENGLISH    TEXTS    FREQUENTLY 
CITED    IN  THE    NOTES 

Purity  [Cleanness),  Patience.  See  Early  English  Alliterati-ve 
Poems  under  I.    Cited  as  Pur.,  Pat. 

Gaivain  and  the  Green  Knight  (cited  as  Gatv.).  (  l)  Edited  by 
Sir  Frederick  Madden  in  Sir  Gaivayne ;  a  Collection  of  Ancient 
Romance  Poems.  London,  1839.  (2)  Edited  by  Richard  Morris, 
E.  E.  T.  S.  4.  London,  1864.  Revised  and  reprinted  1869,  1893. 
(3)  Retold  in  Modern  Prose  by  Jessie  L.  Weston,  Arthurian 
Romances  unrepresented  in  Malory  s  Morte  d'' Arthur  I.  London, 
1900. 


De  Erkenivalde  ( Erk. ) ,  in  Horstmann,  Altenglische  Legenden, 
Neue  Folge.    Heilbronn,  1 88 1.    Pp.  265-274. 

The  Gest  Hystoriale  of  the  Destruction  of  Troy  {Destr.  Troy). 
Edited  by  G.  A.  Panton  and  D.  Donaldson.  E.  E.  T.  S.  39, 
56.    London,  1869,  1874. 

The  Wars  of  Alexander ,  an  Alliterati-ve  Romance  [Alex.). 
Re-edited  by  W.  W.  Skeat.  E.  E.  T.  S.,  Extra  Series  47.  Lon- 
don, 1886. 

Morte  Arthur e.  Edited  by  E.  Brock.  E.  E.  T.  S.  8.  London, 
1865.      Revised  1871. 

Altenglische  Dichtungen  des  MS.  Harl.  22JJ.  Herausgegeben 
von  K.  Boddeker.    Berlin,  1878.    (Cited  as  Boddeker.) 

The  Parlement  of  the  Thre  Ages,  and  Wynnere  and  Wastoure. 
Edited  for  the  Roxburghe  Club  by  L  Gollancz.    London,  1897. 

Scottish  Alliterati-ve  Poems.  Edited  by  M.  Amours.  Scott.  Text 
Soc.  1897.  Includes  the  texts,  Golagros  and  Gatvain  i^Gol.  and 
Gaiv.),  Aivntyres  of  Arthure  at  Tarne'wathelan  {^Atvnt.  Arth.), 
Rauf  Coil^ear,  Pistill  of  Sivete  Susanne. 

The  Sege  of  Jerusalem.  Edited  by  G.  Steffler.  Marburg, 
1891. 

Political,  Religious,  and  Lo-ve  Poems.  Edited  by  F.  J.  Furni- 
VALL.    E.  E.  T.  S.  15.    London,  1866.    Reprinted,  1903. 

Hymns  to  the  Virgin  and  Christ.  Edited  by  F.  J.  Furnivall. 
E.  E.  T.  S.  24.    London,  1867. 

Religious  Pieces.  Edited  by  G.  G.  Perry.  E.  E.  T.  S.  26. 
London,  1867. 

An  Old  English  Miscellany.  Edited  by  Richard  Morris. 
E.  E.  T.  S.  49.    London,  1872. 

Minor  Poems  in  the  Vernon  Manuscript.  Edited  by  Horstmann 
and  Furnivall.    E.  E.  T.  S.  98,  117,  124.    London,  1892-1902. 

Sammlung  Altenglischcn  Legenden.  Herausgegeben  von  C. 
Horstmann.    Heilbronn,  1878.    (Cited  as  Horstmann,  1878.) 

Altenglische  Legenden.  Neue  Folge.  Herausgegeben  von  C. 
Horstmann.    Heilbronn,  188 i.    (Cited  as  Horstmann,  188 i.) 


(ID»lo0^att 


a,  adv.,  continually:  144. 
O.E.  a.      Cf.  ay. 

abate,  v.  intr. :  pret.  3  pi. 
abated,  123.  O.  F. 
abatre. 

abate.      See  abyde. 

able,  adj.,  599.  O.  F.  able. 

abof,  adv.,  above,  11023. 
Prep.,  1018.  O.  E.  a  + 
bufan. 

aboute,  prep.,  round  about, 
75,  1077;  near  (with 
partly  adverbial  mean- 
ing), 513:  abowte,  149. 
Adv. ,  «fflr,  932.  O.E. 
a-butan. 

abroche,  v.,  set  abroach  : 
pret.  part.  abroched, 
1 123.  O.  F.  abrochier, 
abrocher. 

abyde,  v.  intr.,  endure, 
617;  tr.,  348,  1090:  inf. 
348;  pret.  3  sg.  abate, 
617;  pret.  part,  abiden, 
1090.      O.  E.  abidan. 

acheue,  v.  tr.,  achie-ue-. 
inf.  475.     O.  F.  achever. 


acord,  v.  tr.,  agree  njuith: 
pret.  3  pi.  acorded,  819. 
O.  F.  acorder. 

acorde,  n.,  agreement,  har- 
mony :  371,  509.  O.  F. 
acord. 

acroche,  v.  tr.,  acquire: 
inf.  1069.  O.  F.  acro- 
cher. 

Adam,  pr.  noun:   656. 

adaunt,  v.  tr.,  onjercome  : 
inf.   157.     O.  F.  adanter. 

adoun,  adv.,  do-uun:  988. 
O.  E.  of  dune. 

adubbement,  n.,  array, 
gorgeous  splendor,  72,  84, 
85,  108,  120;  beauty 
(both  of  sight  and  sound), 
96.  O.  F.  adoubement. 
Cf.  dubbement. 

adyte,  v.  reflex.,  order, 
dispose:  pres.  subj.  3  sg. 
adyte,  349.  O.  E.  a  -j- 
dihtan. 

affray,  n.,  confusion  of 
mind  (especially  on  sud- 
den awakening):  11 74. 
O.  F.  esfreer. 

after,    prep.,    along    njuith. 


io8 


^lo0s;ar^ 


125;  according  to,  998: 
after  J^enne,  256.  O.  E. 
asfter. 

agayn,  prep.,  against,  79, 
1200  ;  Opposite,  28  : 
agaynj,  79.  Adv.,  back, 
326.      O.  E.  ongean. 

age,  n. :  412.    O.  F.  aage. 

agly,  V.  intr.,  slip  a^way. 
pret.  2  sg.  aglyjte,  245. 
O.  E.  a  +  M.  E.  gly  < 
O.N.  glia,  glitter. 

agrete,  adv. ,  for  the  job  1560. 

ajt,  see  oje. 

ajtfe ,  adj . ,  eighth:  i o 1 1 . 
O.  E.  eahtojja. 

al,  adj.  all,  16,  73,  458, 
777,  etc.;  absol.,  as 
pron.,  e'verything,  360; 
al  &  sum,  the  nuhole, 
584;  pi.  everybody,  404, 
1124:  alle,  73,  119,  731, 
777,  825,  and,  with  one 
exception  (832),  after  pre- 
positions; gs.  alle,  1028. 

al,  adv.,  'wholly,  completely. 
97.  197,  i04,  210,  788, 
1095,  etc.;  al  samen, 
together,  518.    O.  E.  eall. 

alder,  aldest,  see  olde. 

alderman,  n. ,  elder:  pi. 
aldermen,  887,  11 19; 
O.  E.  ealdormann  (al- 
dormann). 


alegge,  v.  tr.,  urge  in  one' s 

defense:  imp.  sg.  alegge, 

703.       O.     F.     esligier ; 

later  alegier. 
alias,     interj.   :     9  ;     alas, 

1 1 38.      O.  F.  alas. 
Almyjt,     adj.,     almighty  : 

498.      O.  E.  selmiht. 
Almyjty,  adj.  as  n. :    1063. 

O.  E.  selmihtig. 
alone,  adv. :  933.  Al  -f  on. 
alovy,  V.    tr. ,    gfve   credit 

for:     inf.     634.      O.    F. 

alouer. 
aloynte,  part,  adj.,  far  re- 

mo'ved:      893.       O.     F. 

aloigner. 
also, adv. :  685,  872,  1071; 

als,   765.      O.   E.   eal  + 

swa. 
aljjaj,  conj.,  although:  j $7, 

857,  878.      O.  E.  al   + 

heah. 
alyue,   adj..    Having:    445. 

O.  E.  a  (=  on)  +  life, 
amatyst,  n. :   1016.    O.  F. 

amatiste. 
among,    prep. :   470,    848, 

1 145.        Adv.,        mean- 

<zvhile:   905.      O.    E.    on 

gemang. 
and  (&),  conj.:  passim;  if, 

273.  378,  560,  598,  777, 

931,  932  (of.    n.),    950  ; 


^Io00ar^ 


109 


&  wele  &  wo,  come  nveal, 
come  nvoe,  342. 

anende,  prep.,  in  line  ivith, 
975;  close  against,  11365 
concerning,  186,  697: 
anende},  975;  onende, 
186.     O.  F.   on  efen. 

angel,  n. :  pi.  aungelej, 
1 121.      O.  F.  angele. 

angel-hauyng,  n.,  de- 
meanor of  an  angel:  754. 

anger,  n. :  343.  O.  N. 
angr. 

anioynt,  part,  adj.,  ap- 
pointed: 895.  O.  F.  en- 
joign-  (  enjoindre  )  ;  cf. 
ajoindre. 

anon,  2A\ . ,  forthnjcith:  584, 
629.      O.  E.  on  +  an. 

anoj^er,  adj  ,  a  second:  297. 

answar,  n.,  ansnuer  :  518. 
Cf.  V.  onsware.  O.  E. 
andsware. 

anvnder,  prep.,  under, 
11'^,  1068,  1081,  1092, 
woo;  at  the  foot  of,  166. 
Adv.,  underneath,  991: 
onvunder,  775. 

any,  adj.  pron.,  11 39; 
equivalent  to  indef  art., 
345;  any  at  all,  463, 
617,  800  (after  neg.)  : 
ani,   1139.     O.  E.  £nig. 

apassed,  part.  2^^).,  passed 


(  =  prep,    past  )  :     540. 

O.  F.  apasser.   Cf.  passed. 
apere,  v.  intr.,  appear:  inf. 

405.    O.   F.  aper  >  apa- 

reir. 
apert,   2lA\.,  frankly:   589. 

O.  F.  apert. 
Apocalyppej,  n.,  the  Apo- 
calypse :  787,  996,  1020; 

Apokalypej,    834;  Apo- 

kalypce,    983;    Appoca- 

lyppece,     866  ;    Apoca- 

lyppce,  944,  1008. 
apostel,     n. :     790,     836, 

944.  984,  985.  etc.     O. 

E.  apostol. 
apparaylmente,  n.,  array. 

1052.       O.    F.   apareill- 

ment. 
apple,    n. :     640.     O.    E. 

asppel. 
appose,  V.    intr.,    confront 

nvith  searching  questions: 

inf.  902.      O.  F.  aposer. 
aproche,   v.     intr.,    dranv 

near,    11 19;  dranv  near 

reverently,  686  (cf.  Pur. 

8,    167).      O.    F.    apro- 

chier. 
aquyle,    v.     tr.,      recei've, 

690;    obtaifi    permission, 

967:  inf.  690;  pret.  part. 

aquylde,     967.       O.    F. 

aquillir. 


no 


<fi>losf0arr 


aray,  v.  tr.,  prepare y  719; 
adorn,  791;  so  mad 
arayed,  in  so  mad  a 
plight,  1 166.  O.  F. 
areier. 

araye,  n.,  array,  condition, 
191,  491;  in  vche  araye, 
at  all  times,  5:  aray, 
491.      O.  F.  arei. 

are^ede,      n.,    people     of 
yore:   711.    O.   N.    ar  + 
O.  E.  t'eod. 

arme,  n.,  arm:  459,  466. 
O.  E.  earm. 

Arraby,  n.,  Arabia:  430. 

aryjt,  adv.,  straight  forth: 
112. 

aryse,  v.  tr. :  pret.  3  sg. 
aros,  181.    O.  E.  arlsan. 

Arystotel,  pr.  n. :  751. 

aryue,  v.  intr. ,  arri'Z>e:  inf. 
447.     O.  F.  ariver. 

as,  adv.,  in  that  degree, 
1024;  correl.  with  'so,' 
20;  correl.  with  'as,'  76, 
815,  822,  1024  j  like, 
1 1 1 2 ;  as  bare  (as  may  be), 
836 J  as-tyt  (as  may  be), 
645.  Con].,  in  like  degree 
or  manner  to,  77,  88, 
723,  787,  801,  984,  990, 
997.  1021,  1033,  1083, 
1192;  according  as,  3145 
as  quo,  as  if  one,    693; 


•vohile,  818,  980;  be- 
cause, 896,  915,  923. 
O.  E.  al  +  swa. 

asent,  n.,  harmony,  94; 
compliance,  391:  asente, 
391.      O.  F.  asent. 

ask,  V.  tr. :  inf.  563;  aske, 
316,  580,  910.  O.  E. 
ascian. 

assemble,  n.,  union  (of 
two):  760.  O.  F.  asem- 
blee. 

asspye,  v.  tr.,  behold,  979, 
1035  ;  descry,  704  :  inf. 
1035;  pret.  I  sg.  asspyed, 
979;  pret.  part,  asspyed, 
704.      O.  F.  espier. 

astate,  n.,  estate,  condition: 
393  ;  asstate,  490.  O.  F. 
estat. 

astraye,  adv.,  from  the 
right  nvay:  1162.  O.  F. 
estraie. 

asyse,  n.,  manner  :  97. 
O.  F.  asise. 

at,  prep.:  161,  218,  321, 
529,  635,  1066;  beside, 
287;  expressing  both  time 
and  cause,  647,  839  ; 
according  to,  199,  1164; 
in  idiomatic  phrases  :  at 
steuen,  188;  at  ene,  291; 
953;  at  on,  378.  O.  E. 
set. 


^lofif^ar^ 


III 


atount,  part,  adj.,  con- 
founded: 179.  O.  F. 
atoner  (cf.  Godefroy ; 
astound,  in  A^.  E.  D.) 

atslyke,  v.  intr.,  slip 
a^way,  be  spent:  pres.  3 
sg.  atslykej,  575.  At  + 
O.  E.  slican. 

atteny,  v.  intr.,  come  up 
nvith:  pres.  subj.  2  sg. 
atteny,  548.  O.  F. 
ataign-,  stem  of  ataindre. 

aj?er,  see  o^er. 

auenture,  n.,  strange  or 
perilous  enterprise  (often 
with  supernatural  associa- 
tions): 64.  O.  F.  aven- 
ture. 

Augoste,  pr.  n. :    39. 

aungelej,  see  angel. 

aunte,  n. :  233.  O.  F. 
ante. 

avysyoun,  n. ,  'vision  : 
1 184.      O.  F.  avision. 

away,  v.  tr.,  instruct:  pret. 
part,  awayed,  7 1 o.  O.  F. 
avier,  pres.  sg.  aveie. 

away,  adv.,  655,  823; 
amiss,  488;  destroyed, 
258  :  awaye,  258.  O.  E. 
on  +  weg. 

awhyle,  a.dv.,  aiv/iile,  692. 
O.  E.  ane  hwile.  See 
whyle. 


a.y,adv.,e^er:  44,56,  loi, 
596,  119s  etc.;  aye, 
1198.     O.  N.  ei.    Cf.  a. 

ay)?er,  adj.  pron.,  eack  of 
the  tnxjo:  831.  O.  E. 
3egt>er. 

B 

hale,  n.,  torment,  478,  651; 

sorroav    (as    opposed    to 

blysse),    18,     123,     373, 

807,  1139:  pi.  123,  807. 

O.  E.  balu. 
balke,    n. ,    mound    (of   a 

grave):  62.     O.  E.  balca. 
bantel,  n.,  see  992  n. :  pi. 

bantels,    1017;    bantelej, 

992. 
baptem,  n.,  baptism:   653; 

babtem,     627.        O.     F. 

bapteme. 
baptyse,  v.  tr. :  pret.  3  sg. 

baptysed,    818.      O.    F. 

baptiser. 
bare,      adj.,      undisguised, 

clear,    836;  in   1025    =: 

mundum,  perlucidum 

(Rev.      21.18,     or     21; 

Wye,    dene,    ful   schy- 

nynge).      O.  E.  baer. 
barne,  n.,  child,  426,  712; 

Israel   barney,    1040:   pi. 

712.    O.  E.  beam, 
basse,    n.,     base :     1000. 


112 


<0lo00ar^ 


O.   F.    base  ;    cf.    basse, 
fem.  of  adj.  bas. 

basyng,  n.,  base:  992. 

bayly,  n.,  outer  nvall  of  a 
castle  (used  loosely  of 
castle  or  city):  1083.  Cf. 
A^.  E.  D.,  bailey;  Med. 
Lat.  balium,  ballium. 

bayly,  n.,  dominion,  442; 
domain,  315.  O.  F. 
baillie. 

bayn,  adj.,  nvilling:  807. 
O.  N.  beinn. 

baysment,  n.,  confusion  of 
mind:  174.  Aphetic 
form  of  O.  F.  abaisse- 
ment. 

be,  V.  intr.  :  inf.  29,  281, 
924,  etc. ;  pres.  i  sg.  am, 
2146,  335,  382,  etc.;  2 
sg.  art,  242,  276,  etc. — 
6  cases;  arte,  707;  3  sg. 
is,  26,  33,  272,  etc.;  i 
pi.  am,  384,  458,  517; 
bene  (to  rime),  785;  2 
pi.  ar,  923;  am,  927;  3 
pi.  am,  402,  404,  etc. — 
6  cases;  ben,  572;  pres. 
subj.  I  sg.  be,  911;  2  sg. 
694;  3  sg.  470,  482, 
5213,  571,  604,  794, 
1176,  1185;  I  pi.  3795 
3  pl-  572;  pret.  I  sg. 
were,    287,    288;    watj. 


1088,  1096,  1161,  1163, 
1 1 6  8 ;  2  sg.  watj,  372; 
3  sg.  watj,  45,  97,  118, 
etc.;  wace  (rime),  65; 
whatej  (rime),  1041;  i 
pl.  wem,  251,  378;  wer, 
641;  3  pl.  wer,  68;  were 
(rime),  1107;  wem,  71, 
73,  82,  etc. — 7  cases; 
ware,  151  (rime),  1027 
(rime);  wore,  154,  232; 
wasse,  1 1 08  (rime),  1 1 1 2 
(rime);  pret.  subj.  i  sg. 
were,  1167;  2  sg.  264; 
wer,  972;  3  sg.  were,  32, 
1 39,  452,  etc.  —  7  cases; 
wer,  1092;  wore,  142 
(rime);  3  pl.  wem,  451; 
wore  (rime);  were  (rime), 
878;  imp.  sg.  be,  344, 
406;  pret.  part,  ben,  252, 
373;  nis  (^ne  is),  100; 
nys,  951.      O.  E.    beon. 

be,  conj.,  see  by. 

beaute,  n.,  beauty:  749; 
bewte,  765.  O.  F. 
beaute. 

bele,  V.  tr.,  burn:  18.  O. 
N.  bSla. 

bem,  n. ,  the  cross,  8 1 4  (as  in 
O.  E.).      O,  E.  beam. 

bend,  v.  tr.,  bind,  join, 
664;  cause  to  lean,  1017; 
intr. ,  incline,  1189:  pret. 


^Io0sfar^ 


113 


part,  bent,  664,  10 17; 
bente,  11 89.  O.  E,  ben- 
dan. 

bene,  adj.,  bright,  radiant: 
no,  198.  Orig.  un- 
known. 

bere,  v.  tr.,  carry,  100, 
1068;  turn,  direct,  675 
ivear,  466,  746,  756, 
854,  856;  endure,  807; 
produce,  239,  426,  626, 
1078;  hold,  756:  inf. 
807,  1078;  pres.  3  sg. 
berej,  100,  746,  756, 
1068 j  pres.  I  pi.  beren, 
854;  3  pi.  beren,  856, 
1079;  pres.  siibj.  2  sg. 
ber,  466;  pret.  i  sg. 
bere,  67;  3  sg.  ber,  426; 
pret.  part,  bore  (rime), 
239;  borne,  626.  O.  E. 
beran. 

beryl,  n.,  ion;  fig.,  de- 
scribing green  of  turf, 
no.      O.  F.  beryl. 

h&si^,  beast :  n.,  pi.  886. 
O.  F.  beste. 

beste,  see  god. 

besternays,  adj.,  aivry -. 
307.      O.  F.  bestorneis. 

bete,  V.  tr.,  amend,  reform, 
heal:  inf.  757.  O.  E. 
betan. 

bete,  V.   tr.,  beat  :  pret.  3 


pi.     bete,     93.       O.     E. 

beatan. 
better,  see  well,  god. 
bewte,  see  beaute. 
beyng,  n.,  peculiar  nature: 

446. 
bitalte,  v.  tr.,  shake:  pret. 

part.,  bitalt,   1161.      M. 

E.    bi  +  taken  <  O.    E. 

tealtian. 
biys,   n.,  fine  linen:    197. 

O.   F.  bysse. 
blajt,   part,   adj.,  bleached, 

hence  >xy/izV^:  212.    O.  E. 

bl2ec(e)an. 
blake,    adj.,     black:    945. 

O.E.  blsc. 
blame,    n.,    rebuke:    715. 

O.  F.  blame, 
blame,  v.  tr. ,  reproach :  inf. 

303;  pres.  2  sg.    blamej, 

275.      O.  F.  blamer. 
blayke,  adj.,  light-colored, 

though  not  pure  'white; 

probably    yello'VJ :      27. 

O.  N.  bleikr. 
ble,    n.,    color,     76;    com- 
plexion, 212.   O.  E.  bleo. 
bleaunt,  n. ,  outer  garment, 

surcot:   163,  197  (seen.). 

O.  F.  bliaut. 
blende,  v.  tr.,  mingle,  385, 

1 01 6:    pret.    part,    blent, 

385;  blente,  1016.  Prob- 


114 


<*5lo00ar^ 


ably  <  O.  N.  blanda  in- 
flected weak. 

blesse,  v.  tr.,  ^ confer  ^well- 
being  upon^  {N.  E.  D.): 
inf.  341  ;  subj.  3  sg. 
blesse,  850.  O.  E.  blet- 
sian. 

blessed,  part.  adj. :  436. 

blessyng,  n. :   1208. 

bio,  adj.,  dark,  leaden- 
colored:  83,  875.  O.  N. 
bla. 

blody,  adv.,  bloodily  :  705. 
O.  E.  blodig. 

blom,  n.,  fioiMer,  27; 
prime,  578.    O.  N.  blom. 

blose,  n.,  flame  ? ,  911  (see 
n.).  M.  cites  O.  N.  blossi, 
Dan.  blus. 

blot,  n.,  .f/ai«  (of  sin):  782. 
Etym.  undetermined. 

blunt,  adj.,  stunned:  176. 
Etym.  unknown. 

blusche,  V.  intr.,  glance, 
look:  pret.  i  sg.  blusched, 
980,  1083.  Late  No. 
M.  E.;  cf.  M.  L.  G. 
bloschen. 

blwe,  adj.,  blue:  27,  76, 
423.      O.  F.  bleu. 

blynde,  adj.,  dim  :  83. 
O.  E.  blind. 

blynne,  v.  tr.,  cease:  729. 
O.  E.  blinnan. 


blysful,  adj.,  beatified,  409; 
connoting  loveliness,  279, 
421,  907,  964,  1100, 
1 104:    blysfol,  279. 

blysne,  v.  intr.,  gleam, 
lighten:  pret.  3  sg.  blys- 
ned,  1048;  pres.  part,  as 
adv.  blysnande,  163,  197. 
O.  E.  *blysian  (cf.  abli- 
sian)  -{-  inceptive  suffix. 

blysse,  n.,  blessedness,  123, 
372,  _  384,  396,  638; 
especially  the  joy  of  Para- 
dise, 286,  385,  415  etc. 
— 14  instances:  blys, 
123,  126,  286,  729,  796. 
O.  E.  bll^s. 

blyl'C,  adj.,  gentle,  kind, 
1131;  joyous,  352,  738: 
superl.  blyj>est,  11 31. 
As  n.,  compassion,  354, 
O.  E.  blTbe. 

blyf>ely,  adv.,  joyously: 
385. 

body,  n. :  62,  460,  1070. 
O.  E.  bodig. 

\>ody\Y,z.d].,  physical,  478; 
in  the  body  (  as  opposed 
to  in  the  spirit),  1090. 

boffet,  n. :  pi.  boffetej,  809. 
O.  F.  buffet? 

bo;e,  V.  intr.,  incline  one' s 
steps,  betake  oneself :  196; 
pret.    I  sg.  bowed,   126} 


^loflffifar^ 


115 


imp.  sg.  bow,  974.  O.  E. 
bugan. 

bojt,  see  bye. 

hok-eyU.,  book:  837.  O.  E. 
boc. 

bolde,  adj.,  shameless:  806. 
O.  E.  bald. 

bolle,  n.,  bole,  trunk  of  a 
tree:  pi.  bollej,  76.  O.  N. 
bolr. 

bolne,  V.  tr.,  cause  to  sivell: 
18.      Dan.  bolne. 

bon,  n.,  bone  :  whallej  bon, 
212.      O.  E.  ban. 

bone,  n. ,  prayer,  912,  916; 
fa'vor granted  (with  added 
meaning  of  j'oot/),  1090. 
O.  N.  bon. 

bonerte,  n.,  goodness,  gen- 
tleness: 762.  O.  F.  bon- 
erte. 

botik,  n.,  slope,  931;  ridge, 
hill,  102;  bank  of  a 
stream,  106,  no,  138, 
196,  907,  1 169:  bone, 
907,  1169;  bonke,  196; 
pi.  bonkes,  106;  bonkej, 
iio,  138,  931.  O.  N. 
bakki  ? 

bor,  n.,  abode:  964.  O.  E. 
bur. 

borde,  v.  mtr.,  jest:  pres.  2 
pi.,  290.    O.  F.  bourder. 

borj,   n.,    city:    957,    989, 


1048;  burghe,  980.  O.  E. 
burh. 

borne,  n.,  ri'ver:  gs. 
bornej,  974.  O.  E. 
burna. 

bornyst,  part,  adj.,  bur- 
nished, 77,  990;  lustrous, 
220  :  bornyste,  220 ; 
burnist,  990.  O.  F. 
biirniss,  —  stem  of  burnir. 

bostwys,  see  bustwys. 

bot,  prep.,  except,  336, 
337,496,  842,  892,  955; 
than,  952.  Adv.,  merely, 
only,   83,   91,   269,    382, 

551.  59^.  905;  with  in- 
tensive force,  17,  18. 
Conj.  coord.,  66,  151, 
265,  413,  849,  922,  etc.; 
subord.,  unless,  308, 
331,  428,  723,  972;  bot 
bat,  unless,  312,  658;  in 
658  bot  ^  negative  rel. 
with  bat.      O.  E.   butan. 

bote,  n.,  remedy:  275,  645. 
O.  E.  belt. 

bo)?e,  adj.  pron. :  373,  731, 
950,  1056.  Prob.  O.  N. 
bahar. 

boj^e,  conj.  correl. :  90,  329, 
1203  ;  bobe  .  .  .  and, 
682. 

boun,  adj.,  ready,  534  ; 
built,  992  J  in  order,  fair. 


ii6 


^logfifar^ 


1 103.   O.  N.  buinn,  pret. 
part,  of  bua. 

bounden,  part,  adj.,  fas- 
tened, 1103;  bound,  pur- 
fled,  198.    O.  E.  bindan. 

bourne,  see  burne. 

bow,  see  boje. 

boy,  n.,  ruffian:  pi.  boyej, 
806.      Cf.  E.  Frisian  boi. 

boj,  impers.  v.  pres.  3  sg. 
contracted  form  for  '  be- 
hoves,' 323;  pret.  with 
pres.  meaning,  byhod, 
928.      O.  E.  bihofian. 

brade,  see  brode. 

brathf»e,  n.,  'violence  (of  ac- 
tion and  feeling):  1170; 
pi.  braNj,  346.  Adj. 
brath.?  (O.  N.  braSr  ^- 
th). 

braundysch,  v.  tr,,  toss 
'Violently  about:  pres.subj. 
2  sg.  braundysch,  346. 
O.  F.  brandiss-  >,  stem  of 
brandir. 

bray,  v.  tr.,  to  utter  tuitk 
harsh  outcry:  pres.  subj. 
7.  sg.  bray,  346.  O.  F. 
braire. 

brayde,  v.  tr. ,  ' /o  deli'ver 
'With  a  brisk  action  '  (A'^. 
E.  -D.)  ;  bring  quickly, 
71  z  ;  rouse  suddenly, 
1 1 70:  pret.  3  sg.  brayde, 


1 1 70;  pret.  3  pi.  brayde, 

712.      O.  E.  bregdan. 
brayn,  n.,  brain:  pi.  bray- 

nej,   126.      O.  E.  braegn. 
\>x&i.,xi., bread:  1209.  O.  E. 

bread, 
brede,  n.,  breadth:    1031. 

O.  E.  brsedu. 
brede,  v.  intr.,   lit.   breed; 

d'well:  415.     O.  E.  bre- 

dan. 
brede,  v.   tr.,  extend:  814. 

O.  E.  brjedan. 
bredful,  adj.  Zt/tw/m//:  126. 

Cf  Swed.  braddfuUe. 
bref,  adj.,  of  short  duration: 

268.      O.  F.  bref. 
hTGrae,zd].,  excellent:  863. 

O.  E.  breme. 
breme,   adj.,  raging:   346. 

Etym.  unexplained. 
brende,  part,   adj.,   refined 

by  fire  (usually  of  gold): 

989.   O.  N.  brenna  (?),  or 

perhaps,    by    metathesis, 

partly  from  O.  E.  bernan. 
brent,adj. ,  j/^^/>:  106.  O.E. 

brant, 
breste,  n.,  breast:  18,  222, 

740,     1103,    1139;    be- 

reste,  854.    O.  E.  breost. 
breue,  v.  tr.,  ivrite  doivn, 

tell,    re'veal:     imp.     sg. 

breue,   755  ;    pret.   part. 


(Slo0sfar^ 


117 


breued,98i(seen.).  O.N. 
brefa. 

brode,  adj.,  broad:  650, 
1022,  1024;  brade,  138. 
O.  E.  brad. 

brojt,  see  bryng. 

broke,  n.,  stream:  141, 
146;  brok,  981  j  gs. 
brokej,  1074.   O.  E.broc. 

broun,  adj.,  dark,  537; 
clear,  990.    O.  E.  brun. 

brunt,  n.,  blonv :  174. 
Etym.  unknown  ;  per- 
haps onomatopoetic. 

bryd,n.,  bride:  769.  O.  E. 
bryd. 

bryd,  n.,  bird:  769  (see 
n.);  pi.  bryddej,  93.  O.  E. 
brid. 

bryjt,  adj.,  755.989,  1048, 
1056;  of  'vi'vid  color, 
75,  1 10:  comp.  bryjter, 
1056.  As  adv.,  1068. 
O.  E.  beorht. 

brym,  n.,  brink  of  stream  : 
1074  ;  brymme,  232. 
Etym.  uncertain. 

bryng,  v.  tr.,  bring,  853; 
conduct,  286,  etc.:  inf. 
853J  pret.  3  sg.  brojte, 
527  ;  imp.  sg.  bryng, 
963;  pret.  part,  brojt, 
286;  borojt,  628.  O.  E. 
bringan. 


burde,  impers.  v.,  pret.  as 
pres.,  it  behoo'ues:  316. 
O.  E.  (ge)byrian. 

burghe,  see  borj. 

burne,  r\.,man,  617,  1090J 
sir  (voc),  397;  people 
(pi.),  712:  bourne,  6175 
pi.  bumej,  712.  O.  E. 
beom. 

burnist,  see  bornist. 

burre,  n.,  blonu,  shock:  176; 
bur,  1 158.      O.  N.  byrr. 

bustwys,  adj.,  rude,  814; 
forward,  911:  bostwys, 
814.  Prob.  O.  F.  bois- 
teux.  Cf.  hidwise  (hid- 
eous) <  O.  F.  hideux, 
Gol.  and  Ga^w.  727, 
861. 

busy,  V.  tr.,  reflex.,  trouble 
oneself:  pres.  2  sg.  busyej, 
268.      O.  E.  bisgian. 

by,  prep.,  107,  141,  152, 
380,  907,  921,  931,  978; 
denoting  means,  agent, 
manner,  cause,  194,  243, 
468,  480,  580,  619,  691, 
1019;  in  the  ^writings  of, 
751  j  be  na^t,  at  begin- 
ning of  night,  523;  in 
phrases:  by  lyne,  626; 
by  skylle,  674  ;  by  ry^t, 
684,  696,  708,  1196: 
be,  523.     O.  E.  bi. 


ii8 


(3ios&at^ 


bycalle,  v.  tr.,  call  upon, 
913;  summon,  1 1 6  3  :  pres. 

1  sg.  bycalle,  913;  pret. 
part,  bycalt,  1163.  be 
+  callen  <  ?  O.  N.  kalla. 

bycaw^se,  conj.  :   Z96. 
bycom,    v.    intr.,    become  : 

pret.  3  sg.  bycom,    537. 

O.  E.  becuman. 
bydde,    v.    tr.,    command: 

pres.  3  sg.  byddej,    520; 

pret.    3    pi.    bede,   715. 

O.  E.  biddan. 
byde,  v.  intr.,  remain,  62, 

399>    977  ;  d^ell,   907  ; 

be,  75;  tr. ,  endure,  664: 

inf.  399,  664,  977;  pres. 

2  sg.  and  3  pi.  bydej, 
907,  755  pret.  3  sg.  bod, 
62.      O.  E.  bidan. 

bydene,  adv.,  fortkivith  : 
196.  The  word  has 
little  force.  Bid  (unex- 
plained) +  O.  E.  £ne. 

bye,  V.  tr.,  buy,  478,  732, 
733;  redeem,  651,  893: 
inf.  732;  byye,  4785 
pret.  3  sg.  bojt,  651. 
O.  E.  bycgan. 

byfalle,  v.  intr.,  befall: 
inf  186.  O.  E.  be- 
feallan. 

byfore,  adv.,  172,  11 10. 
Prep.,  49,  885;  ahead  of. 


294:  bifore,  49.  O.  E. 
beforan. 

byg,  adj.,  ^vehement,  374; 
difficult  to  surmount  be- 
cause of  height,  102: 
comp.  bygger,  374. 
Etym.  unknown. 

bygly,  adj.,  habitable, 
pleasant  :  963.  O.  N. 
byggia-|-ly(?). 

bygynne,   v.    intr.,    begin, 

547,  549.  561,   581;  tr. 

(in  pass.),    spring  from, 

3  3 :   inf.   581;  pres.  2  sg. 

bygynnej,  5  61;  pret.  3  pi. 

bygonne,    549;   imp.   sg. 

bygyn,    547;   pret.   part. 

bygonne,  33.     O.  E.  bi- 

ginnan. 
bygyng,    n.,    a    building: 

932.  O.N.  byggia+yng. 
bygynner,  n., creator:  436. 
byje,    n.,  finger  -  ring    or 

bracelet  :    466.      O.     E. 

beah. 
byjonde,      prep.,      beyond: 

141,  146,  158,  287,  981, 

1 1 56.    O.  E.  begeondan. 
byhod,  see  boj. 
byholde,  v.  tr.,  behold:  inf. 

810.      O.  E.  bihaldan. 
bylde,    n.,   building:    727, 

963.      O.  E.  *byldan. 
bylde,  v.  tr.,  cause  to  spring 


<5lo0fi;ar^ 


119 


up:    pret.     3    sg.    bylde, 

123.     O.  E.  *byldan  (re- 
corded     in     pret.     part. 

gebyld). 
byr)>,  n.,  birth,  the  date  of 

birth:  104.1.  O.  N.  *byr-5- 

(i)r. 
bysech,  v.  tr.,  beseech:  inf. 

390.    be  +  O.  E.  secean. 
by  seme,  v.    impers.,    befit: 

inf.   310.     be    +    O.  N. 

saema. 
bysvyyke,    v.     tr. ,    cheat: 

pres.     I     sg.    byswykej, 

567.      O.  E.  beswican. 
byte,    V.   intr. ,   bite,    640; 

tr.,   lay  hold  upon,    355. 

O.  E.  bitan. 
byteche,   v.   tr.,  yield  up: 

pret.  I  sg.  bytajte,  1207. 

O.  E.  betsecan. 
bytiwene,  prep. :  140,  658. 

As  adv.,  here  and  there, 

44.      O.  E.  bitweonum. 
bytwyste,    prep.,    among: 

464.      O.  E.  betweox. 
bytyde,  v.  intr.,  befall:  inf. 

397.    be  -|-  O.  E.   tidan. 


cache,  v  intr.  (with  *to'), 
sei%e  on,  505  tr.  (with 
'off'),  remote  quickly, 
237:  pret.  3  sg.  ca^t,  50; 


ca^te,  237.   O.  Norm.  F. 

cachier. 
cagge,  V.  tr.,  bind  :  pres.  3 

pi.  caggen,  512.      Etym. 

uncertain, 
calder,  see  colde. 
calle,  V.  intr.,  shout,   182; 

tr. ,  summon  nvith  a  shout, 

i73j  summon,  572,  721, 

762  5     command,      542  ; 

name,    273,     430  :     inf. 

173,    182,    721;   pres.    I 

pi.  calle,  4305  pret.  3  sg. 

calde,    762,  called,   542; 

pret.    part,    called,    273, 

572.      O.  N.  kalla. 
calsydoyne,  n.,  chalcedony. 

1003.    O.  F.  calcidoine. 
cambe,    n.,    comb:      775. 

0.  E.  camb. 

can,  v.,  pret.  pres.,  be  able; 
in  the  following  cases  the 
present  tense  is  practically 
equivalent  in  meaning  to 
the  auxiliary  'do,'  in 
confusion  with  the  pret. 
aux.  'con,'  from  which 
it  is  often  distinguishable 
only  by  tense:  665,  709, 
729,  1078,  1093,  '^'^^ 
esp.  499,  769,  851 :  pres. 

1,  2,  3sg.  con,  931,  769, 
827;  pres.  3  sg.  can,  499; 
pres.    2   pi.    conne,    521  ; 


I20 


<J5lo08;ai^ 


con,    914;    pres.    3    pi. 

con,    1078;    pret.    i    sg. 

cowj'e,  134;  pret.    2  sg. 

cowhej,  484  ;   pret.  3  sg. 

and    p.    coube,   95,  855. 

O.  E.  cunnan  (pres.  can, 

pret.  cuj^e.) 
care,  n.,    50,     371,    861: 

pi.   carej,    808.      O.   E. 

earn. 
carpe,    n.,    discourse;    the 

corresponding    verb     oc- 
casionally designates   the 

singing     or     reciting     of 

minstrels  (cf.    A^.    E.    D. 

s.  v.):  883.   See  carpe,  v. 
carpe,  v.  intr.,  to  discourse 

of  in   speech,    381,    949; 

in    ivriting,     752  :     inf. 

949  >    carp,    381  ;    pret. 

3    sg.    carpe    (prob.    for 

'carped'),     752.      Prob. 

O.  N.  karpa. 
cas,  n.,  case:  673.      O.  F. 

cas. 
caste,  n.,  purpose:    11 63. 

O.  N.  V.  kasta. 
castel-walle,     n.  :      917. 

O.  F.  castel. 
cause,  n.,  caseatlanv  :   pi. 

causej,  702.    O.  F.  cause. 
cayre,  v.    tr.,  make  square: 

103 1.      O.  F.  quarer. 
cete,  see  cyte. 


ceuer,  v.  intr.,  attain:  inf. 
319.  O.  E.  acofrian  ; 
cognate  O.  F.  covrer. 

chace,  V.  tr.  :inf.443.  O- F. 
chacier. 

chambre,  n.,  the  bride- 
chamber  of  Christ  5  cf. 
Matt.  9.  15  ;  Mark  2. 
19,  20  ;  Luke  5.  34,  35  : 
904.      O.  F.  chambre. 

chapel,  n.  :  1062.  O.  F. 
chapel. 

charre,  v.  intr.,  turn  back, 
cease:  pret.  3  pi.  charde, 
608.      O.  E.  cerran. 

charyte,  n. :  470.  O.  F. 
charite. 

chayere,  n.,  throne:  885. 
Anglo-F,  chaiere,  O.  F. 
chaere. 

chere,  n.,  demeanor:  407, 
887,  1 109.    O.  F.  chiere. 

ches,  see  chose. 

cheuentayn,  n.,  lord:  605. 
O.  F.  chevetaine. 

chose,  V.  tr. ,  choose,  759, 
904,  954;  discern,  187: 
pret.  I  sg.  chos,  187;  3 
sg.  ches,  759,  chese,  9545 
pret.  part,  ichose,  904. 
O.   E.  ceosan. 

chyche,  n.,  niggard:  605. 
O.  F.  chiche  (adj.) 

chyde,     v.     intr.,     rebuke 


^los^sfar^ 


121 


(stronger  than  <  chide'): 
403.      O.  E.  cldan. 

chylde,  n. :  723  ;  pi.  chyl- 
der,  714,  718.  O.  E. 
cild  ;  pi.  cildru. 

clad,  part.  adj.  :  22.  O.  E. 
claJ>od. 

clambe,  see  clym. 

clanly,  adv.,  chastely,  de- 
cently :  2.  O.  E.  clsen- 
llc. 

clem,  V.  tr. ,  claim:  826. 
O.  F.  claimer. 

clenche,  v.  tr. ,  secure,  en- 
closed :  pret.  part,  clente, 
259.      O.  E.  clencean. 

clene,  adj.,  pure  (more 
poetic,  and  of  wider  ap- 
plication than  now):  227, 
289,  682,  737,  754,  767, 
969,  972.  Adv.,  exactly, 
949.      O.  E.  clSne. 

cler,  adj.,  pure,  bright, 
pellucid:  74,  207,  227, 
loi  I,  n  1 1  j  clere,  2, 
620,  735  ;  as  n.,  clear 
space,  1050.  Adv.,  avith 
clear  'voice,  882,  913  ; 
manifestly,  274.  O.  F. 
cler. 


clerk. 


scholar :      pi. 


clerkej,     1091.      O. 
and  O.  F.  clerc. 
cleuen,  see  clyrien. 


clos,  adj.,  closed,  183  ;  en- 
closed,    2  ;     snug,     512. 

O.  F.  clos. 
close,    V.   tr.,   close,    803  ; 

enclose,  271:   pret.  3  sg. 

closed,  803.    O.  F.  clos-, 

stem  of  clore. 
clot,   n.,   clod,    320,    857  ; 

clay,     mold,     22,     320  ; 

hill,     789  :     pi.     clottej, 

857.      O.  E.  clott. 
cloystor,     n.,     enclosure: 

969.      Norm,    cloystour, 

Lat.  claustorem. 
clyffe,  see  klyffe. 
clym,   V.  intr.,  climb:  inf., 

1072  ;      klymbe,      678  ; 

pret.  2  sg.  clambe,   773. 

O.  E.  climban. 
clynge,   v.    intr.,  shri'vel  : 

pres.  (subj.  ?)  3  pi.  clynge, 

857.      O.  E.  clingan. 
clypper,  n.,  sheep-shearer: 

802.      M.    E.    clipp  (  < 

O.  N.  klippa)  -f-  er. 
clyuen,    v.     intr.,     belong, 

1196  ;   abide,  stand  fast, 

66  :  pret.  (or  pres.  .' )  3  pi. 

cleuen,  66.   O.  E.  clifan, 

clifian. 
cnawyng,    n.,  knoivledge  : 

859.      Cf.  knaw. 
cnoke,  v.  intr.,  knock:  pres. 

3  pi.  cnoken,  727.   O.  N. 


122 


iSAo&mvs 


knoka ;  late  O.    E.    cno- 
cian. 

cofer,  n.,  strongbox  :  259. 
O.  F.  cofre. 

colde,  adj.,  col(i,  320 ; 
cheerless,  dismal,  50, 
808  :  comp.  calder,  320. 
O.  E.  cald. 

colour,  n.,  color  of  skin,  22, 
2155  ruddy  hue  of  skin, 
753:  color,  22.  O.  F. 
colour. 

com,  V.  intr.,  come,  155, 
etc. ;  be  derived  from, 
749;  arise,  appear,  262, 
848;  com  on  honde,  155: 
inf.  676,  701;  pres.  3  sg. 
comine^,  8485  3  pi.  com, 
262  ;  pres.  subj.  3  pi. 
com,  574;  pret.  i  sg. 
com,  615  ;  come,  582  ; 
2  sg.  com,  598  :  3  sg. 
com,  155,  230,  749  5 
pret.  subj.  3  sg.  com, 
723,  724.  imp.  sg.  cum, 
763.  O.  E.  cuman.  Cf. 
oncom. 

come,  n.,  coming:  11 17. 
O.  E.  cyme,  assimilated 
in  M.  E.  to  the  verb. 

comfort,  n.  :  55  ;  com- 
forte,  357;  coumforde 
(for  rime),    369. 

comly,  adj.,  fair,   yj^   (as 


noun),  729  :  cumly,  929. 

Adv.,    beautifully  -.   259. 

O.  E.  cymlTc. 
commune,    adj.,    belonging 

equally  :      739.       O.     F. 

comun. 
compas,  n. ,  circuit:  1072. 

O.   F.  compas. 
compayny,  n. :  851.    O.  F. 

compaignie. 
con,  aux.   v.,   did  :    i    sg. 

147  ;  2  sg.   313,   777, 

1 183;   cone;,   482,    909, 

925;   3  sg.  88,  103,  III, 

etc.;    2   pi.     381;    3    pi. 

78,    509,    551.     M.    E. 

variant  of  gan,   pret.    of 

ginnan.     See  also  can. 
consciens,    n.,   conviction: 

1089.    O.  F.  conscience, 
contryssyoun,      n. :     669. 

O.  F.  contriciun. 
corne,  n. :  40.    O.  E.  corn, 
coroun,    n. ,    cronun:    237, 

255  ;       coroune,       205  ; 

croun,     1 1 00;      croune, 

427;  pi.   corounej,    451. 

O.  F.  corone. 
coroune,    v.     tr.,    cro^ivn: 

pret.     3     sg.     corounde, 

415;  coronde,  767;  pret. 

part.      corounde,      480  ; 

coronde,     11 01.      O.    F. 

coroner. 


^Io00ar^ 


123 


corse,  n.,  320;  pi.  corses, 

857.    O.  F.  cors. 
cortayse,    adj.,    gracious: 

433;  cortej,  754.     O.  F. 

corteis.     Cf.    vncortayse. 
cortaysly,     adv.,     courte- 
ously :    381. 
cortaysye,     n.,     courtesy, 

beneficence,      irl'^i      444? 

456,457,  468,469,  480, 

481;     courtaysye,     457; 

cortayse,  469,  481.  O.  F. 

cortesie. 
corte,  see  court, 
cortel,     n.,     kirtle  :     203. 

O.  E.  cyrtel. 
coruen,  see  kerue. 
couenaunt,  n. :  562;  coue- 

naunde,      563.      O.      F. 

covenant, 
coumforde,  see  comforte. 
counsayl,    n.,    plan,  pur- 
pose :    319.     O.  F.    con- 

seil. 
counterfete,  v.  tr.,  be  like 

or  equal  to:  556.      From 

adj.  =  O.  F.  contrefet  > 

contrefaire. 
countes,  n.,  countess  :  489. 

O.  F.  cuntesse. 
countre,   n. :   297.     O.    F. 

countree. 
court,    n.,    royal     retinue, 

445  J  court  of  judicature. 


701:   corte,  701.     O.  F. 

cort. 
couj'e,  cowfe,  see  can. 
craft,  n.,  poaver,  356;  art, 

890:    pi.     craftej,     356, 

890.    O.  E.  crEeft. 
craue.v.  tr. :  inf.  663.  O.  E. 

crafian. 
Crede,  n.,  the  Creed:  485. 

O.  E.  creda. 
cresse,  n.,  cress  (typical  of 

something  insignificant)  : 

343.    O.  E.  cresse. 
creste,  n.,  crest  ^ivom  as 

a   badge   or   cognizance ' 

(A^.  E.  D.):  856.    O.  F. 

creste. 
Crist,  see  Kryst. 
croke,    n.,    sickle:  pi.    40. 

O.  N.  krokr. 
croune,  see  coroune. 
crysolyt,     n.,      chrysolite; 

the  seventh  stone  in  the 

foundation    of   the    New 

Jerusalem  :   1009.    O.  F. 

crisolite. 
crysopase,  n.,  ^  the  ancient 

name  of  a  golden  green 

precious stone^  [N.  E.  D.): 

1 01  3.    O.  F.  crisopace. 
crystal,     adj.:     74,     159. 

O.  F.  cristal. 
Crystes,  see  Kryst. 
cumly,  see  conily. 


124 


Slo&SiUt^ 


cure,  n.,  spiritual  charge: 
1 09 1.      O.  F.  cure. 

cyte,  n.,  city  (the  New 
Jerusalem):  792,  939, 
1023;  cite,  1097;  cyty, 
986  ;  cete,  927,  952. 
O.  F.  cite. 

D 

dale,  n. :  pi.  dalej :  1 2 1 .   O 
E.  dffil.    O.  N.  dalr. 

dam,  n. ,  used  loosely  of  a 
flowing  stream  (cf.  use 
in  Pur.  416,  Pat.  312)  : 
324.  Lost  in  O.  E.  ;  cf. 
O.  E.  demman. 

dampne,  v.  tr.,  condemn  : 
pret.  part.  dampned, 
641.      O.  F.  dampner. 

damysel,  n.,  damsel  (more 
respectful  than  now)  : 
489:  damyselle,  361. 
O.  F.  dameisele. 

dare,  v.  mXx.,  fear,  tremble 
'with  fear:  839  ;  pret.  3 
sg  dard,  609.  Etyni. 
uncertain. 

dare,  see  durre. 

dased,  part.  adj. :  dazed, 
1085.    O.  N.  *dasa. 

date,  n.,  date  of  person  s 
birth,  1040;  season,  492 
(fig-)>  504,  505;  fif"e  of 
^«J>  517,  529>  541;  lif"it 


of  duration,  end,  493, 
516,  528,  540:  pi.  1040. 
O.  F.  date. 

Dauid,  pr.  n. :  698,  920. 

daunce,  v.  intr. :  pres.  subj, 
2  sg.  daunce,  345.  O.  F. 
dancer. 

6.a.\xn^er, n.,  bondage :  250, 
O.  F.  dangier.      ^  c^^ufj- 

day,  n.,  486,  510,  516, 
etc.;  in  pi.,  <3///i;w^,  416; 
life,  282:  daye,  517,  541; 
gs.  dayej,  53  3  5  pl  dayej, 
416;  dawej,  282.  O.  E. 
daeg. 

day-glem,  n.,  light  of 
danvn  :  1094.  O.  E. 
gliem. 

dayly,  v.  intr.,  speak  idly  : 
313.      O.  F.  dalier. 

debate,  n.,  dispute:  390. 
O.  F.  debat. 

debonere,  adj.,  mild,  gen- 
tle :  162.  O.  F.  debo- 
naire. 

debonerte,  n.,  meekness: 
798.     O.  F.  debonairete. 

declyne,  v.  intr.,  decline, 
die,  333;  enter  'with  con- 
cessions (into  a  contract); 
or  perhaps  merely  a  rime- 
word  used  indefinitely  for 
enter,  509.  O.  F.  de- 
cliner. 


^losfsar^ 


125 


dede,  n.,  deed,  perform- 
ance: 481,  524.  O.  E. 
dffid. 

dede,  adj.,i/^a^:  31.  O.  E. 
dead. 

degre,  n.,  '  one  of  a  flight  of 
steps'  {N.  £.£).):  pi.  de- 
gres,  1022.    O.  F.  degre. 

del,  dele,  see  doel. 

dele,  V.  intr.,  deal:  pres. 
subj.  3  sg.  dele,  606. 
O.  E.  dselan. 

delfully,  adv.,  grie^vously  : 
706. 

delyt,  n.,  joy,  pleasure, 
642,  1 105,  1 1 16,  etc.; 
sensuous  pleasure,  1 1 5  3  ; 
charm,  beauty,  1 1 04  ; 
glad  desire,  1129  :  delit, 
1129.    O.  F.  delit. 

delyuere,  v.  tr. :  pret.  3  sg. 
delyuered,  652.  O.  F. 
delivrer. 

deme,  v.  tr.,  condemn,  325; 
ordain,  appoint,  324, 
348,  349.  360;  judge, 
312,  313;  expect,  336, 
337;  declare,  say,  361, 
1 1 8  3  :  inf.  348,  etc. ;  dem, 
312;  pres.  2  sg.  demej, 
325,  337;  pres.  subj.  3sg. 
deme,  324, 349;  pret.  i  sg. 
demed,  361  ;  imp.  2  sg. 
deme,  313.  O.  E.  dSman. 


demme,  v.  intr.,  be  ob- 
structed, baffled  :  223. 
O.  E.  -dem man. 

dene,  n.,  valley  :  295. 
O.  E.  denu. 

denne,  v.  intr.,  make  tu- 
mult: pret.  3  sg.  denned, 
51.      O.  E.  dynian. 

dep,  adv.,  deeply  :  406. 
O.  E.  deope. 

depart,  v.  intr.,  take lea'ue 
of  each  other :  pret.  1 
pi.  378.    O.  F.  departir. 

depaynt,  part.  adj. ,  adorned 
(connoting  color)  :  1102. 
O.  F.  depeint. 

depe,  n.,  deep,  deep  stream: 
109.      O.  E.  deop. 

depe,  adj.,  i/^^/):  143,215. 
O.  E.  deop. 

depres,  v.  tr.,  ^vanquish: 
778.      O.  F.  depresser. 

depryue,  v.  tr.,  dispossess  : 
449.     O.  F.  depriver. 

dere,  n.,  harm,  or  perhaps 
mere  annoyance  :  pi. 
derej,  102.  'Perhaps  a 
continuation  of  O.  E. 
darn,  with  the  vowel  as- 
similated to  the  vb.'  (M 
E.  D.). 

dere,  adj.,  nvorthy,  jjj  (as 
n.),  920;  beloved,  368, 
795;  precious,  400,  758, 


126 


(Slo00ar^ 


880,  1183,  1208;  of 
great  ivorth  (with  more 
or  less  connotation  of 
*  rareness '  and  '  splen- 
dor'), 72,  85,  97, 
108,  120,  121;  of  pre- 
cious import,  hence 
urgent,  503,  492  (or  per- 
haps expensi've;  cf.  n.): 
pi.  dere,  777.  Adv., /or 
a  great  price,  733.  O.  E. 
deore. 

dere,  v.  tr.,  hurt:  1157. 
O.  E.  derian. 

derely,    adv.,     splendidly: 

995- 
derk,    n.,    darkness:    629. 

O.  E.  adj.  deorc. 

derjje,  n.,  glory:  99.  Cf. 
O.  N.  dyrl'. 

deruely,  adv.  as  adj.,  sud- 
den: 51.   O.  N.  djarfliga. 

dervyorth,  adj.,  rare:  109. 
O.  E.  deorwurbe. 

6.&se,n.,dais:  766.  O.  F. 
deis. 

desserte,  n.,  deserving  : 
595.      O.  F.  desserte. 

dessypele,  n.,  disciple:  pi. 
dessypelej,  715.  O.  F. 
deciple. 

destyne,  n.,  *the  ponver 
.  .  .  held  to  predetermine 
a  particular  person  s  life 


or  lot'  (N.  E.  D.):  758. 
O.  F.  destinee. 

determynable,  adj.,  de- 
finile:  594..  O.  F.  de- 
terminable. 

deth,  n.,  death,  630,  656, 
860  ;  perdition,  652  : 
dethe,  860.     O.  E.  deaK 

deuote,  adj.,  devout:  406. 
O.  F.  devot. 

deuoyde,  v.  tr.,  dri've 
aivay:  15.  O.  F.  des- 
vuidier,  desvoidier,  etc. 

deuyse,  n.,  </i-i/ijzo«  :  139. 
O.  F.  devise. 

deuyse,  n.,  opinion,  199; 
at  my  deuyse,  as  I  think. 
O.  F.  devise. 

deuyse,  v.  tr.,  describe,  99, 
984,  1 129:  inf.  99  ; 
deuise,  1129;  pres.  3  sg. 
deuysej,  984,  995  ;  pret. 
3  sg.  deuysed,  1021. 
O.    F.    deviser. 

deuysement,  n.,  descrip- 
tion :  1 01 9.  O.  F.  de- 
visement. 

dewyne,  v  intr.,  pine 
aivay:  pres.  i  sg.  de- 
wyne, 115  dowyne,  326. 
O.  E.  dwinan. 

do,  n. ,  doe:  345.    O.  E.  da. 

do,  V.  intr.,  338,  681;  tr., 
5 1 1     (don    pyne,     exert 


<0lo00arv 


127 


themsel'ves) ,  520,  1042 
{^r ought)  j  with  double 
object,  person  and  thing, 
102,  330,  424;  put,  take, 
bring  (with  prep,  phrase), 
250  (in),  282  (don  out 
of  dawej,  perished),  366 
(in),  823  (away),  718 
(do  [yourselves]  way, 
hence',  or  merely  to  show 
impatience);  cause  (with 
inf.),  306,  556,  942;  aux- 
iliary, 17,  630:  inf.  566; 
done  (for  rime),  914;  pres. 
I  sg.  do,  366;  2  and  3 
sg.  dotj,  338,  293,  330; 
pres.  3  pi.  don,  511; 
pret.  3  sg.  did,  1 1 3  8 ;  dyd, 
306;  3  pi.  dyden,  6335 
dyt,  68 1  j  imp.  2  pi. 
dotj,  521,  536;  do,  718; 
pret.  part,  don,  930,  942; 
done,  1042.    O.  E.  don. 

Aoz,  x\.,  duke  :  %\\.  O.  F. 
due. 

doel,  n.,  sorronu,  336,  642, 
etc.;  availing,  339;  equi- 
valent to  agenitive  in  com- 
pounds doel-doungoun, 
1 1 8  7,  doel-dystresse,  337: 
dol,  326:  del,  250;  dele, 
51.      O.  F.  doel,  deol. 

dole,  n.,  part:  136.  O.  E. 
dal. 


dom,  n.,  decree,  667; 
aivard,  580;  God^ s  judg- 
ment of  sinners,  699; 
mind,  157,  223:  dome, 
580,  699.      O.  E.  dom. 

dorst,  see  durre. 

double,  adj.,  in  double 
ronxis  ?  :  202.  O.  F. 
double. 

doun,  n.,  hill:  121;  pi. 
downej,  85;  gp.  dounej, 
73.    O.  E.  dun. 

doun,  adv.,  donxjn  :  30,  41, 
1094,  etc.  As  prep.  196, 
230.  Aphetized  form  of 
O.  E.  a-dun. 

doungoun,  n.,  dungeon  : 
1 1 87.    O.  F.  donjon. 

dousour,  n.,  snxjeetness, 
lo'ueliness  :  429.  O.  F. 
dou^or. 

doute,  n.,  doubt  :  928. 
O.  F.  doute. 

douth,  n.,  people,  or  per- 
haps creature,  rendering 
'  creaturam,'  Apoc.  5. 
13:   839.    O.   E.    duguK 

do^vyne,  see  dewyne. 

draje,  v.  tr.,  dranv,  699, 
1 1 9  3 ;  intr. ,  mcve,  1 1 1 6 : 
pret.  3  pi.  droj,  11 16; 
imp.  sg.  draj,  699;  pret. 
part.  drawen,  ii93. 
O.  E.  dragan. 


128 


^losisfar^ 


drede,  n.,Jear,  i8i;  doubt, 

1047.    Cf.  next  word. 
drede,  v.  'intT.,/ear  -.  pret. 

I   sg.    dred,    186.    O.   E. 

(on-)drSdan. 
drem,      n.,     'vision  :   790, 

1 1 70.    O.  E.  dream, 
dresse,  v.  tr. ,  order,  495; 

prepare,  860  (cf.  n.):  inf. 

495;    pret.     part,    drest, 

860.    O.  F.  dresser. 
dreue,   v.   intr.,   hurry,   be 

dri-ven,    323:  pret.  i  sg. 

dreued,  980.    O.  E.  drae- 

fan. 
droj,  see  draje. 
droun,  v.  tr. ,  droivn:  pret. 

3      sg.      drounde,     656. 

O.  E.  druncnian. 
dfwry,   adj.,  dreary.   323. 

O.  E.  dreorig. 
dryje,    adj.,    hea'vy  :    823. 

O.  N.  drjugr. 
dryjly,  adv.,  mightily,  125; 

gran)ely,  223.    Cf.  dryje. 
Dry^tyn,  n. ,  the  Lord:  324, 

349.     O.  E.  dryhten. 
dryue,  v.  tr.,  drive;  lead, 

1 1 94;     intr.,     sink,     30, 

1094,   1 1 53:  pres.    3  sg. 

subj.  dryue,  1094  ;  pret. 

3    sg.    drof,     30,     1 153; 

pret.  part,  dryuen,  11 94. 

O.  E.  drifan. 


dubbed,  part,  adj.,  ar- 
rayed: 73,  202;  dubbet, 
97.     O.  F.  douber. 

dubbement,  n.,  array, 
splendor  :  121  ;  dubbe- 
niente,  109.  See  adub- 
bement. 

due,  adj. :  894.  O.  F.  deu, 
du. 

dunne,  adj.,  dark;  as  n., 
30.     O.  E.  dunn. 

durande,  part,  adj.,  contin- 
ual: 336.   O.  F.  durer. 

durre,  v.  tr.,  dare:  pres. 
I  sg.  dar,  1089;  pret.  i 
sg.  dorst,  143;  dorste, 
182.    O.  E.  durran. 

dyche,  n.,  moat  :  607. 
O.  E.  die. 

dyje,  v.,  die  :  inf.  306, 
642;  pret.  3  sg.  dyjed, 
828;  dyed,  705.  O.  N. 
deyja. 

dyjt,  V.  tr.,  ordain,  360; 
establish ,  920;  adorn, 
202,  987:  inf.  360;  pret. 
part,  dyjt,  920,  987; 
dyjte,  202.    O.  E.  dihtan. 

dylle,  adj.,  slo<w  :  680. 
O.  E.  dol. 

dym,  adj.:  1076.  O.  E. 
dim. 

dyne,  n.,  din,  availing: 
339.      O.  E.  dyne. 


^los;0ar^ 


129 


dyscreuen,  v.  tr.,  describe, 

or    perhaps,    descry    (cf. 

N.  E.  D.  s.  V.  •  descrive,' 

note)  :    inf.,  68.    O.    F. 

descrivre. 
dysplese,  v,  tr. ,  displease: 

pres.  3sg.  dysplesej,  455; 

imp.  2  sg.  dysplesej,  422. 

O.  F.  desplaisir. 
dyssente,  v.  intr. ,  descend: 

pres.  3  pi.  dyssente,  627. 

O.  F.  descendre. 
dystresse,   n.,    constraint, 

%<)?>;  anguish,  280,    337: 

dysstresse,    898.      O.    F. 

destresse. 
dystrye,    v.     tr.,    destroy  : 

pret.  3  pi.  dystryed,  124. 

O.  F.  destruire. 


efte,     adv.,     again,     328  ; 

afternxjards,  332.     O.  E. 

efeta. 
ellej,  adv.,  else,    325    with 

oher    (=or),     130,    491, 

567,  724.      O.  E.  elles. 
emerad,  n.,  emerald  :  118; 

emcrade,    1005.       O.    F. 

emeraiide. 
emperise,  n.,  empress:  441. 

O.  F.  emperesse.  I 

empyre,  n.,  absolute  sivay: 

454.      O.  F.  empire. 


enchace,  v.  tr. ,  pursue  : 
173.      O.  F.  enchacier. 

enclose,  v.,  enclose,  possess  : 
909.  O.  F.  enclore  (pret. 
part,  enclos). 

enclyin,  adj.,  bo-ived doivn  : 
1206.      O.  F.  enclin. 

enclyne,  v.  intr.,  bo^w, 
236;  submit,  630:  inf. 
630;  pres.  part,  encly- 
nande,  236.  O.  F.  en- 
cliner. 

encres,  v.  intr.,  increase: 
959.      O.  F.  encreistre. 

encroche,  v.  tr.,  get,  gain: 
pret.  3  sg.  encroched, 
1 1 17.     O.  F.  encrochier. 

endelej,  adj.  as  adv.,  in- 
finitely: 738.  O.  E.  en- 
deleas. 

endent,  part,  adj.,  inlaid: 
1012  j       endente,       629 

endorde,  part.  adj.  as  n., 
adored:  368.  F.  (14th c.) 
adorer,  O.  F.  aorer. 

endure,  v.  intr.,  be  equal 
to  a  task,  225;  remain 
(with  pred.  adj.),  476  ; 
tr.,  sustain,  1082  :  inf. 
22  5;endeure,  1082;  pret. 
part,  endured,  476.  O.  F. 
endurer. 

endyte,  v.  tr. ,  enjoin:  pres. 


130 


(Slo£f0arv 


3  pi.  endyte,  i  ia6.  O.  F. 
enditer. 

ene,  adv.,  in  phr.,  at  ene, 
at  one  time,  291;  com- 
plete, 953.    O.  E.  iene. 

enle,  adj.  as  adv.,  singly  : 
849.      O.  E.  Sniic. 

enleuenpe,  adj.,  ele^venth  : 
1 01 4.  O.  E.  endlyfta, 
'superseded  (since  14th 
c.)  by  a  new  formation 
on  the  cardinal  number 
+  -th'  {N.  E.  D.). 

enpryse,  n.,  glory,  distinc- 
tion: 1097.  O.  F.  en- 
prise. 

ensens,  rv.,  incense:  1122. 
O.  F.  encens. 

entent,  n.,  attitude  of  mind: 
1 1 9 1 .      O.  F.  entent. 

enter,  v.  intr. :  inf.,  966; 
pres.  3  sg.  entrej,  1067  ; 
pret.  I  sg.  entred,  38. 
O.  F.  entrer. 

enurned, part,  adj.,  <3^or«^^: 
1027.  O.  F.  aorner,  by 
analogy  with  E.  prefix 
an-  and  F.  prefix  en-. 

er,  adv.,  sooner,  319;  erst- 
•vohile,  164,  372:  ere 
(rime),  164.  Prep.,  be- 
fore: 517.  Conj.,  before: 
188,  224,  324,  631, 
1094,    1 140  ;     w.    euer. 


328  (=  until),  1030. 
O.  E.  Eerj  O.  N.  ar. 

erber,  n. ,  « «  plot  of  ground 
cohered  ijoith  grass  or 
turf ;  a  garden  lanvn,  or 
^•^ green  "  '  {N.  E.  D.): 
38,  1 171  }  erbere,  9. 
O.  F.  erbier. 

erde,  n. ,  country,  with  pos- 
sible connotation  of  home- 
land: paradys  erde,  248. 
O.  E.  eard. 

ere,  n.,  ear:  1153.  O.  E. 
eare. 

erle,  n.,  ^«r/:  211.  O.  E. 
eorl. 

erly,  adv.,  early:  392,506. 
O.  E.  serllce;  O.  N.  arliga. 

errour,  n. :  422.  O.  F. 
errour. 

erfie,  see  vrj^e. 

erytage,  see  herytage. 

eschape,  v.  tr.,  elude:  pret. 
3  sg.  subj.  eschaped,  187. 
O.  F.  eschaper. 

epe,B.di.,easy:  1202.  O.  E. 
adv.  eabe. 

euel,  adv.,  ///:  310,  930. 
O.  E.  yfele. 

euen,  adv.,  exactly  :  740. 
O.  E.  efne. 

euensonge,  n. :  'the  Eng- 
lish name  of  the  service 
(also  called  vespers)  usu- 


^Io00ar^ 


131 


ally  celebrated  shortly 
before  sunset,  being  the 
sixth  of  the  seven  "  ca- 
nonical hours"  of  the 
Western  Church  '  (A^.  E. 
D.):  529.  O.  E.  jefen- 
sang. 

euentyde,  n. :  582.  O.  E. 
jefentid. 

euer,  adv.,  for  e'ver,  416, 
959  ;  at  all  times,  349, 
609,  618;  continually, 
144,  153;  with  compara- 
tives and  the  correlatives 
t>e  .  .  .  l>e,  180,  600  J  at 
any  time,  200,  239,  617, 
668,  698,  890,  1062, 
1132;  with  '  er,'  328, 
1030 ;  for  euer,  261. 
O.  E.  Sfre. 

euermore,  adv. :  591,  666, 
1066. 

excuse,  v.  tr.,  ^ judge  len- 
iently on  the  ground  of  ex- 
tenuating circumstances ' 
(A^.  E.  D.)  :  pret.  part, 
excused,  281.  O.  F. 
excuser. 

expoun,  V.  tr. ,  declare,  tell : 
pres.  I  sg.  expoun,  37. 
O.  F.  expondre. 

expresse,  adv.,  plainly: 
910.  O.  F.  fem.  adj. 
expresse. 


fable,    n.  :    592.       O.   F. 

fable. 
face,    n.  :    67,    169,    434, 

675,  809.      O.  F.  face, 
fade,  V.   intr. ,  fade:    pres. 

3  sg.  fatej,  1038.    O.  F. 

fader. 
fader,  vl.,  first  person  of  the 

Trinity,   872  ;    Fader  of 

folde  and  flode  (Christ), 

736  ;    Adam,    639:    gs. 

Faderej,     872.      O.     E. 

faeder.      Cf.    ^orefader. 
fajt,  see  fejte. 
falle,  V.   intr.,    57,    1120; 

with      » in,'       experience 

suddenly,    1174:    pret.    i 

sg.  fel,  1174  ;  felle,  57  ; 

3  pi.  felle,  1120.    O.  E. 

feallan,  pret.  feoll. 
farande,  adj.,  seemly:  865. 

Pres.  part,  of  fare  ? 
fare,    n. ,    demeanor:    832. 

O.  E.  f«r. 
fare,    v.     intr.,    go,     129, 

147;     fare    to,     behaije, 

bear    oneself,    467  :    inf. 

147  j    pres.    3   sg.    fares, 

129;    pres.     I    pi.    fare, 

467;   cf.    609  n.      O.  E. 

faran. 
fasoun,   n.,  fashion,    9835 


132 


&[0&£>RV^ 


manner,     iioi.      O.    F. 
fa^on. 

fasour,  see  fasure. 

faste,  adv.,  hard,  54;  in 
haste,  150.    O.  E.  feste. 

fasure,  n.,  appearance  : 
1084;  fasor,  431.  O.  F. 
faisure. 

fatej,  see  fade. 

faunt,  n. ,  a  youth  (either 
sex)  :  161.  Shortened 
form  of  O.  F.  enfaunt. 

fauour,  n. ,  kindness  (of 
God),  968;  charm,  good- 
lines  s,  428:  fauor,  968. 
O.  F.  favour. 

fax,  n.,  hair:  213.  O.  E. 
feax. 

fay,  n.,  in  French  phrase 
par  ma  fay,  by  my  faith, 
489  ;  in  faye,  indeed, 
263. 

fayle,  v.  intr. ,  fail,  34; 
nuither,  270;  miss,  fail 
to  obtain  (with  '  of ' ),  317: 
inf.  317;  fayly,  34;  pret. 
3  sg.  fayled,  270.  O.  F. 
faillir. 

fayly,  see  fayle. 

fayn,  adj.,  glad-,  with 
clause,  3935  with  *  of  \ 
450.    O.  E.  faegn. 

fayre,  adj.,  147,  169,  177, 
747,  946,  1024  (perhaps 


in  enjen  proportion^, 
1 178;  snveet,  465  just, 
490:  fayr,  147,  490, 
810.  Comp.,  feirer,  103 
(cf.  n.),      O.  E.  ffeger. 

fayre,  adv.,  siveetly,  884; 
courteously,  714  ;  plea- 
santly, 8  8 :  fayr,  714. 
O.  E.  faegre. 

fech,  V.  tr.,  fetch,  847; 
deal  (a  blow),  1 1 5  8 :  inf. 
1 158;  pres.  subj.  3  sg. 
feche,  847.  O.  E.  feccan. 

fede,  adj.,  ^withered  ?  :  29. 
O.  F.  fade.? 

fejtCjV.  intr.,  contend:  pret. 
3  pi.  fajt,  54.  O.  E. 
feohtan,  pret.  sg.  feaht. 

feirer,  see  fayre. 

fel,  see  felle. 

fele,  v.,  feel:  pret.  i  sg. 
felde,  1087.    O.  E.  felan. 

fele,  adv.,  much,  full:  874. 
Adj.,  many,  927,  11 14; 
absol.  439,  716;  many 
thoughts},  21.  O.  E. 
feolo,  -u  (Merc,  and 
North.). 

felle,  adj.,  cruel,  367; 
terrible,  655.    O.   F.  fel. 

felonye,  n.,  baseness  :  800. 
O.  F.  felonie. 

fenyx,  n. ,  phoenix:  430. 
O.  F.   and  O.   E.  fenix. 


^losffifar^ 


33 


fer,  adj.  Comp.  fyrre,  on 
the  farther  side  :  148. 
O.  E.  feorr,  fyrra. 

fer,  adv.,  far-.  334,  1076. 
Comp.  fyrre,  103,  127, 
15*.  347;  further,  544, 
563.  O.  E.  feor, 
fyrr. 

fere,  n.,  companion  :  pi. 
fere^,  1150.  O.  North- 
umbrian fSra. 

fere,  n.,  company;  in  fere, 
together,  89,  884,  1105. 
Aphetized  O.  E.  gefer. 

ferej,  see  ferye. 

ferly,  adj.,  mar'velous  : 
1084.  As  n.,  strange- 
ness, 1086.  O.  E.  fser- 
lic. 

ferye,  v.  tr.,  transport,  con- 
'vey.  pres.  3  sg.  ferej,  985 
pret.  part,  feryed,  946. 
O.  E.   ferian. 

feste,  n.,  feast;  ma  feste, 
make  merry,  283.  O.  F. 
feste. 

fewe,  adj.  :  572.  O.  E. 
feawe. 

figure,  see  fygure. 

fla3t,  n.,  turf.  57.  O.  N. 
flag. 

flake,  n.,  pinfold  :  947. 
O.  N.  flaki. 

flambe,  v.  intv.,  fame,  90; 


shine,     769:     inf.      7695 

pres.    part,     flaiimbande, 

90.    O.  F.  flamber. 
flauor,    n.,  fragrance:    pi. 

flauorej,      87.        O.      F. 

flaveur. 
flayn,  see  flyje. 
fle,  V.  m\.x.,flee:  inf.   294. 

O.  E.  fleon. 
fleje,  see  fly^e. 
fleme,  v.  tr.,   dri-ue:  pres. 

subj.    3    sg.    fleme,    334. 

O.  E.  fleman. 
flesch,     n.  :      306,      958. 

O.  E.  flassc. 
fleschly,  adj.,  made  of  flesh, 

human  :     1082.       O.  E. 

fla^sclic. 
flet,     n.,     ground:     1058. 

O.  E.  flet. 
flete,v.  intr.,^oxy,  46;  fig., 

21:  pret.    3  sg.   flot,  46; 

3  pi.   fleten,   21.    O.   E. 

fleotan. 
flod,  n.,  ri'uer,  874,  1058; 

njuater,  distinguished  from 

land,  736:  pi.  flodej,  874. 

O.  E.  flod. 
flok,    n.,     company,     host  : 

947.    O.  E.  flocc. 
flonc,  see  flynge. 
flor,  n.,flonver,  29,  208 (de- 
sign wrought  in  pearls?); 

fig.,     962  :    pi.    flowrej. 


134 


<0lofi;siar^ 


208.  O.  F.  flor.  Cf.  vyr- 
gynflour. 

flor-de-lys,  n. :  195;  flour- 
de-lys,  753. 

flot,  n.,  company,  host:  786; 
flote,  946.      O.   F.  flote. 

floty,  adj.,  ^watery.  127. 
O.  E.  flot,  flotian  +  y. 

flour,  see  flor. 

floury,  adj. :  57. 

flowen,  see  flyje. 

flowre,  V.  intr. ,  blossom: 
pret.  3  sg.  flowred,  270. 
O.  F.  flurir. 

flowres,  see  flor. 

flurted,  adj.,  ^flo'wered, 
figured'  (M.  and  A^.  E. 
D.):  208.  Anglicized 
form  of  F.  fleurete. 

flyje,  V.  tr. ,  tear  the  skin 
(with  *  boff'etej '  or  a 
scourge  ;  cf.  John  19.  i): 
813;  pret.  part,  flayn, 
809.      O.  E.  flean. 

flyje,  V.  intr.,_;?y:  pret.  3  sg. 
fleje,  431;  3  pi.  flowen, 
89.      O.  E.  fleogan. 

flynge,  v.  intr.,  press  head- 
long :  pret.  1  sg.  flonc, 
1 1 65.      O.  N.  flengja. 

flyte,  V.  intr.,  contend:  353. 
O.  E.  flitan. 

fode,  n.,  food:  88.  O.  E. 
foda. 


folde,  n.,/««i^ (distinguished 

from     water),    in    phrase 

'folde  &  flode,'  736  ;  of 

folde,  from  earth,    334. 

O.  E.  folde. 
folde,  V.  tr.,   enfold,   434  ; 

bonu  donvn,  813:  inf.  813; 

pret.     3    sg.    folde,    434. 

O.    E.    fealdan  ;    North. 

[ge-]falda. 
folje,  V.  tr.,  follonv:\>rtt.   i 

and  3  sg.  foljed,  127,654; 

pres.      part,     folewande, 

1040.      O.  E.  folgian. 
fon,  see  fyne. 
fonde,     V.     tr.,     examine, 

scan,  170;  try,  1^0;  seek, 

939:  inf.,  150;  pret.  part. 

fonte,    170.      O.  E.   fan- 

dian. 
fonde,  fonte,  see  fynd. 
fonge,    V.    tr.,    get,    gain, 

439,  479;  take  (the  notes 

in     singing),     884  :    inf. 

479)  pres.    3   pi.  fongej, 

439;    pret.  3    pi.  fonge, 

884.      O.  E.  fon. 
for,  conj.:  31,  71,  93,  135,' 

568,   etc.      O.   E,   prep. 

for. 
for,  prep.,  263,  586,   940, 

etc.;  in  spite  of,   890;  z« 

exchange  for,   734,  etc.; 

because  of,  for  the  purpose 


(0lofl(0ar^ 


135 


of,   5°.    339»   4^9.   71 3» 

811,  832,  844,  858,  etc.; 

for   doc   ober   erle,    211; 

for  to,  with  inf.  99,  332, 

403,  613,  etc.;  for  euer, 

261:  fore,   734.      O.   E. 

for. 
forbede,     v.     tr.,    forbid: 

pres.  subj.  3   sg.  forbede, 

379.    O.  E.  forbeodan. 
forbrenne,    v.    intr.,    burn 

up:  pres.    part,   forbrent, 

1 1 39.       O.     E.     forber- 

nan. 
fordo,  V.  tr.,   bring    to    an 

end:  pret.  3  pi.  fordidden, 

124.      O.  E.  fordon. 
fordolked,  part,  adj.,  mor- 

tallywounded:  pret.  part. 

fordolked,  11.  Cf.  Matz- 

ner,   s.  v.  ;    O.  E.    dolg, 

dolh. 
foreste,    n.  :    67.      O.    F. 

forest. 
forfete,  v.  u.,  forfeit:    inf. 

639  ;    pret.    subj.     3   sg. 

forfeted,  619.      O.  F.  n. 

forfet. 
forgare,     v.    tr.,     destroy: 

pret.  part,  forgarte,  321. 

For  +  O.  E.  gearwian. 
forgo,  V.  ix.,  forego  :   328  ; 

pres.    3   sg.   forgos,  340. 

O.  E.  forgan. 


forjete,  v.   tr.,  forget  :  inf. 

86.      O.  E.  forgietan. 
forhede,  n.,  forehead  :  pi. 
871.      O.  E.  forheafod. 
forlete,    v.  tr.,    lose  :  pret. 
I  sg.  forlete,  327.    O.  E. 
forljetan,  pret.  forlet. 
forlonge,   n.,  furlong  :   pi. 
forlonge,    1030.      O.    E. 
furlang. 
forloyne,     v.    intr.,    speak 
idly  :    pres.    subj.     i   sg. 
forloyne,  368.     Adapted 
from  O.  F.  porloignier. 
forme,    n. :   1209.      O.    F. 

fo(u)rme. 
forme,  v.   tr.  :  pret.    3  sg. 
formed,    747.        O.    F. 
fo(u)rmer. 
forme,  adj., /r//:  639.  O.  E. 

forma. 

forpayned,       part.       adj., 

O'vercome     'zvith     pain  : 

246.    For  +  O.  F.  peiner. 

forsake,  v.  tr.  -.   inf    743. 

O.  E.  forsacan. 
forser,    n.,    treasure-chest: 

263.      O.  F.  forsier. 
forsoj'e,  3.(\v.,  forsooth:  21. 

O.  E.  forsob. 
forth,  adv.  ,510;  forward, 
98,      loi,     980,     1116. 
O.  E.  forb. 
fortune,    n.,    chance,    98  ; 


136 


<0los;siar^ 


personified,     129  ;    fate, 

306:  fortwne,  98.    O.  F. 

fortune, 
forty,     num.:     786,     870. 

O.  E.  feowertig. 
forfie,     n.,     ford:      150. 

Adapted  fr.  O.  E.  ford. 
forJ>y,   conj.   adv.,    "where- 
fore:    137,    234,     701, 

845.      O.  E.  forl:>y. 
fote,   n.,  foot  :   161,    350, 

970  }     pi.     fete,      1 1 20. 

O.  E.  fot. 
founce,    n.,    bottom    of   a 

ri'ver:  113.     O.  F.  funz. 
foundament,     see     funde- 

ment. 
foure,  num.  :   886  ;  fowre, 

870.      O.  E.  feower. 
fo'wl,  n.,  bird:  pi.    fowlej, 

89.      O.  E.  fugol. 
foysoun,     n.,    abundance; 

with    adj.    force,    1058. 

O.  F.  foison. 
fraunchyse,  n.,  pri=vilege, 

immunity  :   609.      O.    F. 

franchise, 
frayne,  v.  tr.,  desire:  pres. 

3      sg.      fraynej,       129. 

O.  E.  frignan. 
frayste,  v.  tr. ,  scan  :  pret. 

I  sg.  frayste,  169.  O.  N. 

freista. 
fre,  adj.j/r^^,  lavish,  4815 


noble,    fair,     796.      As 

adv.,  299.    O.  E.  freo. 
frech,      adj.,     fresh,     87  ; 

S'-weet    (as     noun),    195. 

O.  E.  fersc. 
freles,  adj.,  blameless:  431. 

O.  N.  fryjulauss?  (Matz.). 
frely,    adj.,    s^weet,    lo'uely 

(as  noun),  1155.      O.  E. 

freolic. 
frende,   n.  -.     558,    1204. 

O.  E.  freond. 
freuch,  adj.,  frail,   uncer- 
tain, e'vane scent }  :  1086. 

M.  E.frouh,  O.E.  *fr6h? 
fro,  prep.,  from  :   10,    13, 

46,     etc.      Adv.,     347. 

Conj.,   since,   251,    375, 

958  (fro  M).    O.  N.  fra. 

See  fro  warde. 
frount,     n.,     bro^w  :    177. 

O.  F.  front. 
fro  ■warde,  prep,  from  :  fro 

me  warde,    981.     fro  + 

O.  E.  weard. 
fryra,      adv. ,      'vigorously, 

abundantly:  1079.    O.  E. 

freme. 
fryt,   n.,  fruit  :     894  (  = 

primitiae,  Apoc.    14.   4); 

fryte,  29;  pi.  frytej,  87, 

1078.      O.  F.  fruit, 
fryth,   n. ,   nvoodland  :    89, 

98,  103.      O.  E.  fri):>. 


^Ios0ar)2 


37 


ful,  adj.  :  1098.  Adv., 
very,  completely,  28,  42, 
etc.      O.  E.  full. 

fundament,  n. ,  foundation: 
loioj  pi.  foundementej, 
993.  O.  F.  funde- 
ment. 

furj>e,  adj.,  fourth  :  1005. 
O.  E.  feorl>a. 

fyf,  num.  :  849  ;  fyue,  451. 
O.  E.  fif. 

fyf>e,  adj.  :  1006.  O.  E. 
flfta. 

fygure,  n.,  170,  747; 
'vision,  1086.  O.  F. 
figure. 

fyldor,  n. ,  thread  of  gold  : 
106.      F.  fil  d'or. 

fylfe,  n. :  1060.  O.  E. 
fyl>.  _ 

fyn,  adj.,  fine,  106  ;  ex- 
quisite, lo'vely,  170;  true, 
1204:  fyin,  1204.  O.  F. 
fin. 

fynde,  v.  tr. ,  find,  283, 
327,  etc.;  disccver,  per- 
cei've,  514  (with  simple 
inf.),  871,  1203  (with  two 
objects):  inf.  150;  pres. 
3  sg.  fynde^,  508,  514; 
pret.  I  sg.  fande,  871  ; 
pret.  part,  fonde,  283  j 
fonte,  327  ;  founden, 
1203.      O.  E.  findan. 


fyne,  n.,  end:  635.  O.  F. 
fyn. 

fyne,  v.  intr.,  cease,  1030; 
die,  328;  tr. ,  cease,  353: 
pres.  subj.  i  sg.  fyne, 
328:  pret.  3  sg.  fon, 
1030:  imp.  sg.  fyne, 
353.    O.  F.  finer. 

fynger,  n. :  466.  O.  E. 
finger. 

fyrre,  see  fer,  adj.  and  adv. 

fyrst,  adj.,/rj/,  486,  635; 
as  n.,  548,  570,  571, 
etc.:  fyrste,  548.  Adv., 
316,  583,  1 042 ;  fyrste, 
638.    O.  E.  fyrst. 

fyrte,  part,  adj.,  frigh- 
tened, fearful:  54.  O.  E. 
fjeran } 


Galalye,  pr.  n. :  817. 

galle,  n.,  bitterness,  rancor, 
189,  463,  915  ;  filth, 
1060  (originally  a  differ- 
ent word):  gawle,  463. 
O.  E.  gealla. 

gardyn,  n.  :  260.  O. 
Norm.  F.  gardin,  < 
Teut.  *gardo  +  z. 

gare,  v.  tr.,  cause ;  w. 
simple  inf.  86,  331; 
w.  to,  1 1 5 1  :  pres.  3  sg. 
garej,    331  ;    pret.    3   sg. 


138 


(Slo00ai:^ 


gart,    1151  :   pret.    3   pi. 

garten,  86.    O.  E.  gear- 

wian. 
garlande,    n. :    11 86  5    cf. 

note.    O.  F.  garlande. 
gate,  n.,  road,  street,  395, 

1 106  j     ^ede    his      gate, 

'went     his     ivay,      5265 

manner,   619:   pi.   gatej, 

1 106.    O.  N.  gata. 
gawle,  see  galle. 
gay,  adj.,   radiant,  joyous-, 

as  n.,    189,   433:    1 124, 

1 1 86;  gaye,  7,  260,433. 

O.  F.  gai. 
gayn,  prep.,  against:   138. 

O.  E.  gegn. 
gayne,  v.  intr.,  gam:  pres. 

3  sg.  gaynej,  343.    O.  N. 

gegna. 
gef,  see  gyue. 
gele,  V.  intr.,  tarry:    931. 

O.  E.  gSlan. 
gemme,  precious  stone,  118, 

219,    etc.;    fig.,    of  the 

Pearl,  289:  pi.  gemme^, 

7,     ^53.    991-       O-     F- 
gemme. 


generacyoun, 


gene- 


alogy :  827. 
gent,  adj.,  noble  (weak- 
ened as  an  epithet),  265; 
gentle,  1 1  34;  precious  (of 
gems),    118,   253,   1014: 


gente,  118,  253,  265. 
O.  F.  gent. 

gentyl,  adj.,  high-born, 
lonjely  (in  character  and 
manners),  264,  602  (as 
n.),  605,  632,  895  ; 
snveet,  278,  883  ;  pre- 
cious (of  gems),  991  : 
1 01 5;  gentyle,  632  ;  su- 
perl.  gentyleste,  1015. 
O.  F.  gentil. 

gesse,  V.  intr.,  imagine: 
499.  Cogn.  withM.  L.  G. 
gissen. 

geste,  n.,  guest  :  xtj. 
O.  E.  gasst. 

gete,  V.  tr.,  get  :  95.  O.  E. 
gitan. 

geuen,  see  gyue. 

gilofre,  n.,  gtllyjloiver:  43. 
O.  F.  girofre. 

glace,  V.  intr,,  glide,  steal: 
J  J  I.    O.  F.  glacer. 

glade,  adj.,  happy:  136, 
1 1 44;  comp.  gladder, 
231  ;  superl.  gladdest, 
1 109.    O.  E.  glaed. 

glade,  V.  tr.,  gladden,  cause 
to  rejoice  :  pres.  3  sg. 
gladej,  861  ;  pres.  part, 
gladande,  171.  O.  E. 
gladian. 

gladnes,  n. :  136. 

glas,  n.,  glass:    114,   990, 


(Slossar^ 


139 


1018;  glasse,  1025, 1 106. 
O.  E.  glass. 

glauere,  v.  tr.,  flatter  : 
pres.  3  pi.  glauerej,  688. 
Etym.  obscure ;  O.  N. 
glalSr. 

glayue,  n.,  spear:  654. 
O.  F.  glaive. 

glayre,  n.,  amber:  1026. 
O.  E.  glasre. 

gle,  n.,  joy  (connoting 
sound  or  music):  95, 
1123.    O.  E.  gleo. 

glem,  n.,  bright  light:  79. 
O.  E.  glSm. 

glemande,  part.  adj., 
gleaming,  resplendent  : 
70,  990.    From  noun. 

glene,  v.  tr.,  glean  :  955. 
O.  F.  glener. 

glent,  n.,  glance,  1144; 
gleam,  114.  Cf.  v. 
glente. 

glente,  v.  intr.,  gleam,  70, 
etc. ;  deviate,  671:  pret. 
3  sg.  glent,  70,  1026; 
glente,  671,  looi;  3  pi. 
glent,  1 1 06.  Etym.  un- 
certain; *  prob.  of  Scan- 
dinavian origin  '  (M  E. 
D.). 

glet,  n.,  slime:  1060. 
O.  F.  glette. 

glod,  see  glyde. 


glode,  n.,  *?a  bright  place 
in  the  sky;  a  flash  of  light'' 
{N.  E.  D.):  pi.  glodej, 
79.    Origin  obsciu-e. 

glory,  n.,  splendor,  radi- 
ance, 70,  171,  934,  959; 
praise,  1123.  O.  F. 
glorie. 

gloryous,  adj.:  799,  915, 
1 144.    O.  F.  glorious. 

gloTwe,  V.  intr.,  shine:  pret. 
3  pi.  glowed,  114.  O.  E. 
glovvan. 

glyde,  V.  mix.,  glide  :  pres. 
3  sg.  glydej,  79  ;  pret. 
3  pi.  glod,  1 105.  O.  E. 
glidan. 

glyje,  V.  intr.,  schimmer: 
pret.  3  pi.  glyjt,  114. 
O.  N.  glja  ? 

glymme,  n.,  brightness  : 
1088.  Etym.  obscure. 
Cf.  O.  Sw.  V.  glimma, 
shine ;  M.  H.  G.  glim, 
glimmen. 

glysnande,  part.  z.d!).,glit- 

•  tering  :  165,  1018.  O.  E. 
glisnian. 

God,  pr.  n. :  314,  342,  379, 
1204;  etc.;  gs.  Godej, 
63,  601,  822,  885,  943, 
1054;  Goddej,  591, 
1193.      O.  E.  God. 

god,  adj.,  good,  310,  674, 


140 


(3\o&&nv^ 


818,  1202;  as  n.,  t/iat 
•vohich  is  good,  3  3 ' ;  bene- 
fit ^  ll^h  property,  731, 
734  5  goud,  33,  731; 
goude,  33,  568,  818. 
Superl.  best,  1131; 
beste,  279  (as  n.),  863. 
O.  E.  god,  betst. 

Godhede,  n.,  di^-uine  na- 
ture:/^i  I.  O.  E.  God  + 
*hSdu. 

godnesse,  n. :  493. 

golde,  n. :  2,  165,  213,  etc. 
O.  E.  gold. 

golden,  adj. :  1106. 

golf,  n.,  a  body  of  deep  iva- 
ter  :  608.    O.  F.  golfe. 

gome,  n.,  man  :  231,  697. 
O.  E.  guma. 

gon,  V.  intr.,  ^0,  63,  etc.; 
issue,  717:  inf.  820;  pres. 
3Sg.got9,  365;  3pl.  gotj, 
510;  pres.  subj.  3  sg.go, 
5305  pret.  3sg.  jede,  526, 
1049;  yot,  10  j  3  pi.  jede, 
713;  imp.  sg.  go,  559; 
pi.  gos,  521;  gotj,  535; 
pret.  part,  gon,  63,  376. 
O.  E.  gan  ;  late  North, 
pret.  jeode.      See  wende. 

gospel,  n. :  498,  O.  E. 
godspel. 

goste,  n.,  soul:  63,  86. 
O.  E.  gast. 


gostly,  adj.,  spiritual, 
sacred,  790  ;  spectral, 
185.      O.  E.  gastlic. 

gote,  n.,  stream  :  934;  pi. 
608.  Got-,  weak  root  of 
O.  E.  geotan. 

goude,  see  god. 

grace,  n.,  favor  (of  God 
or  fortune),  1 94  ;  ^free 
and  unmerited  fa'vor  of 
God  as  manifested  in  the 
sal'vation  of  sinners '  (A^. 
E.  Z).),  63,  612,  623, 
etc. ;  *  the  di'vine  influ- 
ence nvhich  operates  in 
men  to  regenerate  and 
sanctify"  (N.  E.  D.),  425; 
state  of  regeneration,  625, 
670;  a  Christian  moral 
virtue,  436.  O.  F.  grace. 

gracios,  adj.,  lovely,  de- 
lightful: 95  ;  gracios  gay, 
189,  260  ;  gracious,  934. 
O.  F.  gracious. 

grauayl,  n. :  81.  O.  F. 
gravele. 

graunt,  n.  ,permission :  3 1 7. 
O.  F.  V.  graunter. 

graye,  adj.:  254  (cf  n.). 
O.  E.  grsg. 

grayn,  n.,  seed :  pi.  graynej, 
31.      O.  F.  grain. 

grayj^ely,  adv.,  exactly. 
499.      O.  N.  grei'Sliga. 


^Io00ar^ 


141 


Grece,  ^T.  n.,  Greece:  231. 
greffe,  n.,  grief:  86.    O.  F. 

gref. 
greme,    n.,    nvrath  :    465. 

O.  N.  gremi. 
grene,     adj.:      38,     looi, 

1005.      O.  E.  grene. 
gresse,  n.,  grass,  10,  245; 

a   single  plant  of  grass, 

31.      O.  E.  graes. 
gret,  adj.,^r^<2/,  250,  612, 

tic.  \  numerous,  851,  926; 

numerous,  i.  e.,  all,  637; 

gret,     in    20     instances  ; 

grete,  90,  237,  280,  470, 

560,  637.    O.  E.  great. 
grete,  v.  intr.,  ixieep:  331. 

O    E.  grstan. 
greue,   n.,  thicket,  garden: 

paradysgreve:  321.  O.E. 

grsefa. 
greue,  v.  tr.,  grienje:  pres. 

subj.    3   sg.    greue,   471. 

O.  F.  grever. 
gromylyoun,  n. ,  gromvoell: 

43.    Cf.  O.  F.  gremi  lion, 

dim.  of  gromil. 
grounde,    n.,    basis,    372, 

384,    396   (in  phrase,   in 

grounde),  etc.  \  earth,  i  o, 

81,  etc.      O.  E.  grund. 
grouelyng,  d^dw.,  prostrate: 

1 1 20.        M.     E.     groof 

(<  O.  N.  grufa)  +  adv. 


suffix,    -ling   (<   O.     E. 

-ling). 
grow,  V.    intr.,    31;  issue, 

425:  inf.    31;  pret.  3  sg. 

grewe,     425.        O.     E. 

growan. 
grym,    adj.,    ugly:    1070. 

O.  E.  grim, 
grymly,  adv.,  cruelly:  654. 

O.  E.  grimlice. 
grynde,  v.  tr.,  81;  sharpen 

by  grinding,    654;  intr., 

crunch,  8 1 :  inf.  8 1 ;  pret. 

part,  grounde,  654.  O.  E. 

grindan. 
gryste,    n.,    bitter    resent- 
ment: 465.    O.  E.  grist-. 
gulte,  see  gylt. 
gulte,    n.,   sin  :    942;     pi. 

gyltej,  655.     O.  E.  gylt. 
gyfte,  n.:  565;  pi.   gyftej, 

607.      O.  N.  gift. 
gyle,  n.,  guile:  671,   688. 

O.  F.  guile. 
gyltlej,   adj.,    as  n. :   668, 

799.    O.  E.  gyltleas. 
gyltyf,   adj.,   guilty:    669. 

O.  E.  gyltig.    The  form 

in   the   text   results  from 

association  with   the  suf- 
fix -ive. 
gyng,    n.,    company:    455. 

O.    E.    genga  ?    or   gen- 

genge. 


142 


^los0ai:^ 


gyngure,   n.,   ginger:    43. 

O.  F.  gingimbre. 
gyrle,  n.,  girl:  205.  Etym. 

obscure. 
gyse,n., guise:  1099.  O.  F. 

giiise. 
gyternere,    n.,    player    on 

the   cithern  :    91.     O.   F. 

guiterne  +  er. 
gyue,   V.  tr.,  gi^e,  grant, 

174,     543>     121 1,    etc.; 

permit,   270,    707:   pres. 

subj.    3    sg.   gyue,    707  ; 

pret.  3  sg.  gef,  174,  270, 

734,  765,  121 1  (cf.  n-)5 
gaue,  667;  imp.  sg.  gyf, 
543»  546  ;  pret.  part, 
geuen,  11 90.  O.  E.  gifan. 

jare,  adv.,  dearly,  nueU: 
834.    O.  E.  gearo. 

jate,  n.,  door,  728;  gate, 
1034,  1037:  pi.  jatej, 
1034,  1065.    O.  E.  geat. 

jede,  see  gon. 

jeman,  n.,  yeoman,  young 
hired  laborer:  pi.  jemen, 
535.    Etym.  obscure. 

jere,  n.,  year,  503,  5055 
on  jer,  each  year,  1079: 
pi.  jer,  483.  O.  E.  gear. 
Cf.  tojere. 

jerne,  v.   tr.,  desire:  pret. 


part,  jerned,  1190.  O.  E. 
geomian. 
jet,  adv.,jf/,  hitherto,  200, 
1061,  1065;  besides,  fur- 
ther, 46,^  205,  215,  697, 
1 021;  with  comparatives, 
145,  374,  1033;  ne'ver- 
theless,    19,     317,     443, 

449,  585,  587,  864: 
jete,  1 06 1.    O.  E.  get. 

5ete,v.  tr.,  gi've,  cause:  inf. 

558.    O.  E.  geatan. 
jif,  see  if. 
3on,    adj.,  yon:    693.     Not 

recorded    in   O.    E. ;    cf. 

geond. 
3ong,     adj.,  young:     412; 

jonge,  474,  535.    O.  E. 

geong. 
jore,  adv.,  in  time  past,  of 

yore:   586.    O.  E.  geara. 
jorefader,    n.,   forefather, 

i.  e.  Adam,  322. 

H 

had,  haf,  see  haue. 
hafyng,       n.,     possessions: 

450.  Cf.  angel-hauyng. 
halde,     v.     tr.,      restrain, 

1 1 9 1 ;  possess,  maintain, 
(in  phrases,  halde  empyre, 
454  ;  halde  asstate,  490)  ; 
contain,  1002;  regard, 
301;  intr.,  extend,  1029: 


<0lofifs(ar^ 


143 


inf.  490;  pres.  1  sg. 
halde,  301;  3  sg.  haldej, 
4545  pret.  3  sg.  helde, 
1002,  1029;  pret.  part, 
halden,  1191.  O.  E. 
haldan. 

hale,  V.  intr.,  flo^w:  pres. 
3  sg.  halej,  125.  O.  F. 
haler. 

half,  n.,  side\  in  the  com- 
pound quasi-prep.  '  on 
wyber  half,'  on  the  opposite 
side  of,  230.   O.  E.  healf 

half,  adv. :  72.    O.  E.  half 

halle,  n.,  hall  of  a  feudal 
castle:  184.    O.  E.  heall. 

halte,  adj.,  lame;  take  me 
halte,  lame  me,  11 58. 
O.  E.  healt. 

happe,  n.,  fortune,  16; 
good  fortune,  713,  1 1 9  5 : 
in  the  phrase,  happe  & 
hele,  16,  713.  O.  N. 
happ. 

harde,  adv.,  hard  :  606. 
O.  E.  hearde. 

hardyly,  adv.,  boldly,  3  ; 
parenthetically,  it  may  be 
boldly  said,  assuredly, 
695.    O.    F.   hardi  -f  ly. 

harme,  n.,  injury,  6815 
grief,  njcrong,  388:  pi. 
harmej,  388.  O.  E. 
hearm. 


harmlej,     adj.,     innocent  : 

676,  7^5- 
harpe,    n. :    881.     O.    E. 

hearpe. 
harpe,  v.  intr. :  pres.    3  pi. 
harpen,      881.      O.      E. 
hearpian. 
harpor,     n.,     harper-,    pi. 
harpore^,     881.      O.     E. 
hearpere. 
hate,  n. :  463.    O.  E.  hete; 

vb.  hatian. 
hate,    adj.,    hot,    burning: 

388.    O.  E.  hat. 
hate,    v.    tr. :    pret.    part, 
hated,  402.  O.  E.  hatian. 
haj>el,  n.,  OTa«:  676.   O.  E. 

adj.  ae^ele. 
haue,  V.  tr.,  132,  134,  209, 
502,  577,  661,  770,  812, 
841,  84s,  859,  928,  935, 
967,  971,  1034,  1045, 
1091,  1140;  elsewhere 
as  a  verbal  auxiliary:  inf. 
132,  661,  9285  haf,  194, 
1 139;  pres.  I  sg.  haf, 
14,  242,  etc.  —  9  in- 
stances; haue,  704,  967; 
2  sg.  hatj,  291,  770, 
935.  971;  3  sg.  hatj, 
274,  286,  946;  I  pi.  haf, 
5i9>  5535  hauen,  859  ; 
han,  554;  2  pi.  haf,  257, 
917;  han,  373;  3  pi.  han. 


144 


^losffiiar^ 


776  ;  pret.  1  sg.  hade, 
164,  1 1 89,  1 1 94;  had, 
170J  3  sg.  hade,  209, 
476,  502,  812,  841, 
845,  1090,  1 140;  had, 
1034,  1 148;  3  pi.  hade, 
550,  10915  had,  1045; 
pret.  subj.  i  sg.  hade, 
134;  pret.  part,  had, 
1 140.    O.  E.  habban. 

hawk,  n.  :  184.  O.  E. 
hafoc. 

haylse,  v.  tr.,  greet:  pret. 
3  sg.  haylsed,  238.  O.  E. 
halsian. 

he,   pers.  pron.  ;  masc.  he, 

332>  475>  506,  597  ;  d. 
or  a.  hym,  598,  610, 
662,  etc.  ;  reflex,  (^d.), 
hym,  478,  732  ;  (=a.), 
349,  711,  813.  Fern, 
ho,  129,  130,  131,  etc.; 
scho,  758;  a.  hyr,  8,  1 64, 
167,  etc.;  hir,  188,  428. 
Neut.  hit,  10,  13,  147, 
etc.  jhyt,  283,  284;  gen. 
hit,  108,  120,  224,  446  ; 
np.  hay,  80,  94,  509, 
etc.;  dp.  hem,  717,  728  ; 
ap.  hem,  69,  70,  75, 
etc.  ;  reflex.  551.  O.  E. 
he ;  fem.  heo  ;  neut.  hit. 
Seo,  fem.  of  dem.  se. 
hed,  see  heued. 


hede,  v.  tr.,  behold:   1051. 

O.  E.  hedan. 
hejt,  see  hy^t. 
helder,  adv.,  rather:  1193. 

O.  N.  heldr. 
hele,  n.,  ^welfare:  16,  713. 

O.  E.  hSlu. 
helle,  n.,  hell:  442,  651, 

840,  1 125;  gs.  helle,  643. 

O.  E.  helle. 
Jiem,  see  he. 
hemme,     n.,     hem,     217  ; 

used  loosely    (for  rime?) 

for  the    first    tier    in  the 

foundation    of  the    New 

Jerusalem,  looi.     O.  E. 

hemm. 
hende,  adj.,  gracious,  909; 

quiet,  184  :  hynde,  909. 

Aphetic  form   of  O.    E. 

gehende. 
hente,    v.   tr.,  get,    1195  ; 

experience,     388,     669  : 

pres.   subj.    i   sg.   hente, 

388.      O.  E.  hentan. 
her,    poss.    pron.,   her:  6, 


131 


170,     203, 


215,  254,  442  ;  hir,  22, 
191;  hyr,  163,  178,  255, 
27S,  356.  O.  E.  hiere. 
her,  poss.  pron.,  their:  92, 
96,  106,  451,  573,  575, 
634,  687,  688,  712,  714. 
O.  E.  hiera. 


(Slofisfar^ 


145 


her,  pers.  pron.,  see  he. 
here,  v.  tr.,  hear  :  inf.  96; 

pret.    I    sg.    herde,    873, 

879,     113a.        Anglian, 

heran  (W.  S.  hieran). 
here,  adv.:  262,  298,  389, 

399,402,  439,  614,  907; 

her,    263,    519.      O.  E. 

her. 
here,  616,  see  hyre. 
hereinne,  adv. :   261,  577. 
here-leke,  pi.  n.,  locks  of 

hair};      210.      Mercian 

her ;  O.    N.    lykkja    (see 

Knigge,  p.  79)- 
herle,    n.,  filament,  hair  ; 

fillet  ?  :   209.     Cf.  M.  L. 

G.    herle,    harle,    L.  G. 

harl. 
heme?,   plural  n. ,    brains  : 

58.      Late  O.  E.  hasrnes. 
hart,  n.,  heart:   17,    174, 

179,    682,    1082,  1 1  36  ; 

herte,    128,    135,     176, 

364.      O.  E.  heorte. 
herytage,  n.,  417  ;  act  of 

inheriting,  4.4.'^:   erytage, 

443.      O.  E.  eritage. 
heste,   n.,    bidding  :    633. 

O.  E.  hies. 
hete,    n. ,  heat:   554,  643. 

O,  E.  hjetu. 
hete,  V.  tr. ,  promise,  305  ; 

assure,    402  ;     intr.,     be 


called,   950,    999  :  pres. 

1  sg.  hete,  402  ;  hyjt, 
999  ;  3  pl-  hyjt,  950. 
O.  E.  hatan,  with  vowel 
of  pret.  het. 

heterly,  adv.,  bitterly:  402. 

Cf.  M.  L.  G.  hetter. 
hefien,  adv.,   hence  :    231. 

O.  N.  he^an. 
heue,  v.  tr. ,  exalt,  16,  473; 

offer  up,  314  :  inf.  314; 

heuen,     16  ;    pres.    subj. 

2  sg.  heue,  473.  O.  E. 
hebban. 

heued,  n.,  head,  459,  465, 

1172;  source,    974;     to 

hed,   on  her  head,   209  : 

hede,    1 172.     O.  E.  hea- 

fod. 
heuen,    n.,   heanjen  :    473, 

490,     500,    988,    1126; 

pi.   heuenej,    423,    441, 

6205      heuenesse,      735- 

O.  E.  heofon. 
heuenryche,    n.,    kingdom 

of  heaven  :    719.     O.  E. 

heofonrlce. 
heuy,  adj.,   hea'vy  :   1180. 

O.  E.  hefig. 
hider,  adv.,  hither:    517. 

O.  E.  hider. 
hit,  ho,  see  he. 
hoi,  ad}.,  entire,  all:   406. 

O.  E.  hal. 


146 


^\o6&nr^ 


holte,  n.,  nvood,  gronje: 
pi.  holtej,  921.  O.  E. 
holt. 

holte-'wode^,  pi.  i:\.,ivoods, 
75.      O.  E.  holtwudu. 

holy,  adj.:  592,  618,  679. 
O.  E.  halig. 

holy,  adv.,  nvholly  :  419. 
O.  E.  hal  +  M.  E.  ly. 

homly,  adj.,  belonging  to  the 
house  or  family  :  1 2 1 1 . 
O.  E.  ham  +  ly. 

honde,  n.,hand;  athonde, 
at  the  nvrist,  218;  me 
com  on  honde,  came  to 
my  notice,  155  :  pi.  hon- 
dej,  706  ;  honde,  49. 
O.  E.  hond. 

hondelyngej,  adv.,  'with 
one'' s  hand  :  681.  Adv. 
gen.      O.  E.  handlinga. 

hondred,  see  hundrej?e. 

hone,  V.  intr.,  abide,  be: 
921.      Etym.  obscure. 

honour,  n.,  dignity  of  posi- 
tion, 475,  852,  864  ; 
re'verence,  424.  O.  F. 
(h)onur. 

hope,  n.,  expectation;  860. 
Late  O.  E.  hopa. 

hope,  V.  tr.,  suppose  (with 
little  or  no  idea  of  'expec- 
tation '):  pres.  I  sg.  hope, 
225  j  pret.    I   sg.  hoped, 


139  ;     hope,     142,    185. 

O.  E.  hopian. 
home,  n. :  pi.  hornej,  mi. 

O.  E.  horn, 
houre,  see  oure. 
hov7,  adv.:  334,  690,  711, 

1 146.      O.  E.  hu. 
hue,  n.,  shout  :  873.    O.  F. 

hu. 
huee,  see  hwe. 
hundrej^e,  num.,  hundred: 

869;    hundreth,     1107; 

hondred,    786.       O.    N. 

hundraS  ;     O.    E.    hun- 
dred, 
huyle,  see  hylle. 
hwe,  n.,   color,   hue:   896; 

huee,     842  ;    hwej,   90  ; 

twynne-how  ?,         1012. 

O.  E.    hiw. 
hyde,  n.,  skin  :  1 1 36.  O.  E. 

hyd. 
hyder,   adv.,  hither  :  249, 

763.      O.  E.  hider. 
hyje,  adj., /[/^A,  678,  1024, 

1 05 1   ;      exalted,       596, 

1054  ;  main,  395  ;  o'ver- 

bearing,    401  ;    high  (in 

liturgical  sense),  39  :  hyj, 

39,    678.     Adv.:    454; 

hije,  207;  hyj,  473,  773: 

O.     E.     adj.     and     adv. 

heah. 
hyjt,  n.,  height,   1031  ;  on 


^Io0s;ar^ 


147 


hyjt,  on  high,  501  :  hejt, 
1031.  O.  E.  hieht'o, 
later  heahj>u. 

hy3t,  see  hete. 

hyl-coppe,  n.  ,  hill -top: 
791.      O.  E.  copp. 

hylle,  n.,  hill,  mountain, 
678,  791,  979;  renders 
Lat.  <  mons/  789,  976; 
mound,  bank,  41,  1172, 
1205:  hyl,  789,  979  ; 
hil,  976;  huyle,  41 ;  hyiil, 
1205.      O.  E.  hyll. 

hym,  hyr,  hyt,  see  ho. 

hynde,  see  hende. 

hyne,  n.,  sewants,  632, 
1 2 1 1  5  farm  laborers, 
505.  O.  E.  (North  Mid- 
land) pi.  hine. 

hyre,  n.,  wfl^^j:  523,  534, 

539»     543>     583.    587  ; 

here,  616.      O.  E.  hyr. 
hyre,  V.  tr.,  Air^:  inf.  507; 

pret.    I    sg.   hyred,  560. 

O.  E.  hyrian. 
hys,     poss.     pron.  :      307, 

312,  354,  etc. :  his,  285, 

355>    819;  hysse  (rime), 

418.      O.    E.    his,   gsm. 

of  he. 
hytte,  V.  intr.,  aim,  stri<ve: 

pres.  3    sg.    hyttej,  132. 

Late  O.  E.  hyttan;  O.  N. 

hytta. 


I 

I,  pers.  pron.,  3,  502,  etc.; 
gs.    myn,    243;    ds.    me, 

195  144.  153,  155,  233> 
^39.  ^67,  391,  565;  as. 
me,  66,  98,  181,  487, 
544,  759;  np-  we,  251, 
378—380,  etc.;  dp.  vus, 
552,  553;  ap.  vus,  552, 
556,  651,  etc.   O.  E.  10. 

ichose,  see  chose. 

if,  conj.,  452,  694,  698, 
etc.;  though,  45,  147, 
363;  whether,  313:  jif, 
45,  662;  jyf,  482.    O.  E. 

ilk,  adj.  pron.,  same,  'very, 
995  :  like,  704.  O.  E. 
ilea. 

ille,  adv.,  ill:  681,  11 77. 
O.  N.  adj.  illr. 

in,  prep.,  2,  5,  9,  13,  656, 
etc.;  on,  1103;  into,  38, 
61,  250,  366  (with  'do'), 
627,  1130,  1 153,  1 162; 
upon,  875,  881;  among, 
711;  in  the  midst  of,  776; 
in  (temporal),  during, 
116,  659,  1080;  through- 
out, 416  ;  expressing 
manner,  133,  236,  391, 
883,  1053;  in  respect  to, 
8,  428,  524;  in  possession 


148 


^lo00ar^ 


0/^  417;  by  means  of,  63  : 
in  various  phrases  :  in 
cure,  1 09 1 J  in  dede  & 
Jjojte,  5245  in  fere,  89, 
884,  1105;  in  grounde, 
396;  in  lande,  802;  in 
myddej,  740;  in  mynde, 
1 1 30;  in  plyt,  1 1 14;  in 
vch  a  plyt,  1015  ;  in 
pourseut,  1035;  in  pref, 
2725  in  sample,  499;  in 
sute,  1 108;  in  synglere, 
8  ;  in  theme,  944  ;  in 
token,  7425  in  twynne, 
251;  in  vayne,  687;  in 
worlde,  293  ;  in  wro, 
866:  inne,  940.  O.  E.  in. 

inlyche,  adv.,  alike:  546, 
603.      O.  E.  gelic. 

in  melle,  prep.,  amid  : 
1 1 27.     Cf.  O.  N.  Imilli. 

in  mydde^,  prep.,  in  the 
midst  of,  222,  740;  in 
mydej  J>e  trone,  835,  ^ 
in  medio  throni,  Apoc. 
5.6.  O.  E.  in-  (orig.  an-) 
+  middan,  altered  to  ad- 
verbial genitive. 

innocens,  n.,  innocence: 
708.      F.  innocence. 

innocent,  adj.  as  n. :  625, 
720:  innosent,  684,  696; 
innossent,  666;  inoscente, 
672.      O.  F.  innocent. 


innoghe,adj.,  enough,  661  j 
absol.,  625,  649.  Adv., 
636,  648,  etc.:  innogh, 
660,  661;  innoje,  624; 
inoghe,  612;  inoje,  637. 
O.  E.  genog. 

innome,  see  nymme. 

inseme,  adv. ,  together  : 
838.  Perhaps  same  as 
insamen,  isamen,  with 
vowel  altered  for  rime  ; 
cf.  O.  E.  geseman. 

into,  prep.,  521,  525,  582, 
628,  etc. ; /o,  231.  O.  E. 
into. 

inwyth,  adv.,  <within  : 
970. 

Israel,  pr.  n. :  g.  1040. 

iwysse,  adv.,  indeed:  151, 
394,  1128;  iwyse,  279. 
O.  E.  gewis. 


]BiCjTi^\i,n.,  jacinth  :  1014. 
Late  Lat.  iacint(h)us, 
iacinctus. 

jasper,  n.  :  999,  1026  : 
jasporye,  1018  (see  n.). 
O.  F.  jaspre. 

Jerusalem,  pr.  n.  :  792, 
793,  804,  805,  816,  817, 
828,  829,  840,  841,  919, 
941,  950,  987  :  jrlm, 
816,    is    a    correct    ab- 


^Io00ar^ 


149 


brevation;  jhrm,  804  (hr 
in  ligature),  is  rare;  irreg- 
ular jlrm,  our  scribe's 
usual  abbreviation,  may 
be  for  jhriii. 
Jesus,  pr.  n.  :  711,  717, 
721,     820;    Jesu,     453, 

458. 

joly,  adj.,  bright,  shining  -. 
929  ;  jolyf,  842.  O.  F. 
joli,  jolif. 

John,  pr.  n.,  St.  John  the 
Evangelist,  788,  836, 
984,  etc.;  St.  John  the 
Baptist,  818  :  Jon,  383, 
818  j  quasi-genitive,  383. 
Metre  indicates  a  mono- 
syllable, and  rime  (cf. 
383,  995,  etc.)  the  same 
vowel  as  in  *gon',  'ston', 
etc. 

joparde,  n.,  chance, 
hazard:  602.  O.  F.  iu 
parti. 

Jordan,  pr.  n. :  817. 

joy,  n.,  234,  395:  joye, 
1 126  ;  ioy,  266,  796  ; 
ioye,  128,  577,  1 197. 
O.  F.  joye. 

ioyfol,  adj.,  j'oj/m/:  288. 

joylej,  Z.6!).,  joyless:  252. 

joyne,  v.  tr. ,  add:  pret.  3 
sg.  joyned,  1009.  O.  F. 
joign,  stem  of  joindre. 


Judee,  pr.  n.,  Judea:  922; 
quasi-adj.  in  '  Judy 
londe,'  937. 

juel,  n.,  jewel,  treasure  ; 
used  figuratively  of  the 
Pearl,  249,  253,  277;  of 
her  words,    278;   of  her 


companions,      929  5 


of 


Christ,  795,  1 1 24:  juelle 
(rime),  795,  11 24;  iuel, 
249,  277  ;  pi.  iuelej, 
278;  juele  (in  rime),  23, 
929.  O.  F.  joel;  Angl. 
F.  juel. 
jueler,  n.,  jenveller  :  264, 
265,  276,  288,  289,  300, 
730  :  j  u  e  lere,  252  ; 
iueler,  301  ;  joueler  (= 
homini  negotiatori.  Matt. 

}l-     4S)»     734-       O-     F. 

juelier. 
Juej,  n.,  Je-uos  :   804. 
jugge,  V.  tr.,  try  (in  court), 

804  ;  appraise,  7  :   pret. 

]   sg.   jugged,     7;    3    pi. 

iugged,      804.        O.     F. 

jugier. 
justyfye,    v.    tr.,    justify  : 

pret.  part,  justyfyet,  700. 

F,  justifier. 

K 

kene,  adj. ,  keen,  sharp  :  40. 
O.  E.  cene. 


I50 


<Slo0s;ar^ 


kenne,  V.  tr.,  impart:  pret. 
3  sg.  kenned,  55.  O.  E. 
cennan. 

kerue,  v.  tr.,  cut,  monv, 
40;  prune,  512  :  pres.  3 
pi.  keruen,  512;  pret. 
part,  coruen,  40.  O.  E. 
ceorfan. 

keste,  V.  tr. ,  cast  out,  or 
anvay,  861,  11985  scat- 
ter, ii22j  set  do'wn 
quickly,  66:  pret.  3  pi. 
kesten,  1122;  pret.  part, 
keste,  66;  kest,  861  ; 
kaste,  1 198.  O.  N.  kas- 
ta. 

keue,  V.  intr.,  plunge,  sink  : 
320  (see  n.).  O.  N. 
kefja  ? 

klyffe,  n.,  cliff:  clyffe,  159; 
pi.  klyfFej,  74;  klyfej, 
66.    O.  E.  cli£ 

klymbe,  see  clym. 

knav7,  V.  tr.,  knonv,  505, 
5 1 6,  etc.  ;  recognize, 
164,  168,  998,  1019; 
learn  by  inquiry,  410, 
794  :  inf.  410,  541, 
794,  1 109  5  pres.  I  sg. 
knaw,  673;  2  pi.  knawe, 
516  ;  3  pi.  knawe,  505; 
pret.  I  sg.  knew,  164, 
168,  998,  loi 9  5  3  pi. 
knewe,   890;  pret.    part. 


knawen,     637.       O.    E. 

cnawan. 
knele,  v.  intr.,  kneel:  pres. 

part.      knelande,       434. 

O.  E.  kneowlian. 
knot,    n.,   band,   company: 

788.     O.  E.  cnotta. 
Kryst,  pr.  n.,  Christ  :   55, 

458,  776  ;  Kryste,  569; 

gs.   Krystej,  904,   1208  ; 

Crystes,      383.      O.     E. 

Crist. 
Krysten,    adj..    Christian, 

461  5      as      n.,      1202  : 

Krystyin,  1202.      O.  E. 

cristen  :  cf.    O.   F.   cres- 

tien. 
kynde,  n.,  nature  peculiar 

to  a  thing  or  person,  55, 

271,   752;  Nature,  270; 

of  kynde,  by  nature,  74: 

kynd,      270.      O.     E. 

gecynde. 
kynde,  adj  ,  grateful :  276. 

O.  E.  gecynde. 
kyndely,    adv.,    lovingly  : 

369;  kyntly,  690.    O.  E. 

gecyndelice. 
kyndom,  n.,  kingdom:  445. 

O.  E.  cynedom. 
kyng,  n.  :  448,  468,  480, 

596,  690.   O.  E.  cyning. 
kynne,  n. ,  sort,  kind:  gs. 

conceived     as      pi.,      in 


^Ios0ar^ 


151 


phrase  alle  kynnej,  1028; 
gp.  conceived  as  sg.  in 
quat  kyn,  755,  771, 
794  (what  kyn);  see  A^. 
E.  D.,  s.  V.  kin;  cf.  O.  E. 
cjTin. 

kyrk,  n.,  church  (edifice)  : 
1 06 1.  Northern  deriva- 
tive from  O.  E.  circe  ; 
cf.  O.  N.  kirkja. 

kyste,  n.,  chest:  •zji 
(fig.).  Derived  from,  or 
influenced  by,  O.  N. 
kista  ;  cf.  O.  E.  cyst. 

kythe,  n.,  region,  country: 
pi.  kythej,  1198.  O.  E. 
cy\>. 

ky]?e,  V.  tr.,  sho-iv  :  356. 
O.  E.  cyj'an. 


labor,  V.  tr.,  spend  labor 
upon  :  labor  vyne,  504. 
O.  F.  laborer. 

labour,  n. :   634. 

lache,  V.  tr.,  take,  experi- 
ence :  pret.  I  sg.  la^, 
1 1 28  j  lajte,  1205.  O.  E. 
lascc(e)an. 

lad,  see  lede. 

lade,  part,  adj.,  laden  : 
1 146.     O.  E.  hladan. 

laden,  see  ledden. 

lady,  n. ,  ivoman  of  superior 


rank,  49 1  5  my  lady,  the 

Virgin  Mary,  453.    O.  E. 

hlSfdige. 
ladyly,     adj.,     befitting    a 

lady:   774. 
ladyschyp,  n. ,  social  rank 

as  a  lady:   578. 
laften,  see  leue. 
lajt,  see  lache. 
lamb,  see  lombe. 
lande,  see  londe. 
langour,  n.,  suffering:  357. 

O.  F.  languor, 
lantyrne,  n.  :  1047.  F.  lan- 

terne. 
lappe,  n.,  loose  fold  {ci.  n.): 

pi.   lappej,    201.     O.   E. 

lappa. 
large,  adj.,  generous,  609; 

ample,  201.    O.  F.  large. 
lasse,  see  lyttel. 
laste,  adj.,  asn.,  547,  570, 

571.    O.  E.  latost,  superl. 

of  laet. 
laste,    V.    tr.,    load:    pret. 

part,  laste,  in  phrase  'laste 

&    lade,'    1 146.     O.    E. 

gehlasstan. 
laste,  V.  intr. ,  last,  endure: 

inf.  956:  pres.  3  pi.  lastej, 

1 198.      O.  E.  Isestan. 
late,    adv.,    392  ;    late    in 

the  day,   538,  574,  615. 

O.  E.  late. 


152 


Slo^ant^ 


launce,  n. ,  branch  of  a 
tree  :  pi.  launcej,  978. 
F.  lance. 

laue,  V.  tr.,  pour  out  abun- 
dantly, pres.  3  sg.  lauej, 
607.  O.  E.  lafian:  O.  F. 
laver. 

lawely,  adj.,  lanvful:   565. 

Iawe3,  pi.  n.,  practice, 
'ways  :  285.  Late  O.  E. 
laga. 

laye,  v.  tr.,  lay,  958:  pret. 
part,  layd,  958;  layde, 
1 172.      O.  E.  lecgan. 

layne,  v.  tr.,  keep  silent 
about:  pret.  part,  layned, 
244.      O.  N.  l0yna 

ledden,  n.,  sound  of  many 
'voices:  878;  laden,  874. 
O.  E.  Isden. 

lede,  n.,  man  ;  used  to  ad- 
dress a  dependent  or  an 
inferior,  542.  O.  E. 
leod. 

lede,  V.  tr.,  lead,  801;  lyf 
lede,  392,  409,  774  : 
inf.  774  ;  pres.  i  sg. 
lede,  409  ;  2  pi.  lede, 
392;  pret.  part.  lad,  801. 
O.  E.  ISdan. 

lef,  n.,  leaf;  coW.  foliage, 
77  j  leagues  of  a  book, 
837  :  pi.  leuej,  837. 
O.  E.  leaf. 


lef,  adj.,  belo'ved,  precious, 
266  ;  as  n.,  418.  O.  E. 
leof. 

leghe,  see  lyj. 

legg,  n.  :  459.  O.  N. 
leggr. 

legyoun,  n.,  legion  ;  of  a 
great  number,  1 1 2 1 :  pi. 
legyounes,  1121.  O.  F. 
legiun. 

lelly,  ?iA\.,  faithfully  :  305. 
O.  F.  leel  +  ly. 

leme,  v.  intr.,  shine, gleam: 
pret.  3  sg.  lemed,  1 1 9, 
1043.  Cf.  O.  N.  Ijoma  j 
O.  E.  geleomod. 

leme,  v.  tr.,  beat,  drive 
ivith  blonvs .? :  3  58.  O.N. 
lemja. 

lemman,  n.,  snveetheart : 
used  by  Christ  to  his  fol- 
lower, 763  ;  of  Christ, 
796,  805,  829.  O.  E. 
leofman. 

lenge,  v.  intr.,  tarry, 
dijuell:  inf.  261  ;  pres.  2 
pi.  lenge,  933.  O.  E. 
lengan. 
lenger,  see  longe. 
lenghe,  n.,  length;  in  lenghe 
of  dayej,  throughout  time, 
4165  on  lenghe,  to  a 
distance,  atuay,  167. 
O.  E.  lengu. 


(Slosfsfar^ 


153 


lenf>e,    n. ,    length  :    1031. 

O.  E.  lengbu. 
lere,  n.,face:   398.    O.  E. 

hleor. 
lese,    V.    tr.,   lose:    pret.    i 

sg.    leste,  9;    2  sg.   lestej, 

269.    Late  weak  pret.  of 

O.  E.  leosan. 
lese,  V.  tr. ,  unfasten,  open  : 

pres.   part,  lesande,  837. 

O.  E.  llesan. 
lesse,  see  lyttel. 
lest,     conj.,      864. ;      after 

'dred,'   187.      O.   E.   \>y 

lesyng,  n.,/z>:  897.  O.  E. 
leasung. 

let,  V.  tr.,  with  obj.  and 
inf.  20,  718,  901,  912, 
964  ;  with  obj.  omit- 
ted, 813  ;  absol.  let  be, 
desist,  cease,  715:  inf. 
715;  pret.  3  sg.  let, 
20  ;  lette,  813;  imp. 
sg.  let,  901,  912,  9645 
pi.  let,  718.  O.  E.  lie- 
tan. 

lette,  V.  tr. ,  obstruct:  pret. 
3  sg.  lette,  1050.  O.  E. 
lettag. 
'  lettrure,  n.,  ^writings, 
books:  7 SI-  O.  F.  let- 
treure. 

lej?e,  V.   intr.,  abate:  pres. 


3  sg.  lel^ej,  377.     Etym. 
obscure. 

leue,  n.,  league:  316. 
O.  E.  leaf. 

leue,  V.  tr. ,  forsake:  pret. 
3  pi.  laften,  622.  O.  E. 
Isfan. 

leue,  V.  intr.,  believe  (in), 
4255  tr.,  witli  inf.  or 
clause,  304,  311,  469  ; 
with  obj.,  69,  308;  with 
obj.  and  pred.  adj.,  865  ; 
parenthetical,  876:  inf. 
311;  leuen,  69;  pres.  i 
sg.  leue,  469,  876  ;  3 
sg.  leuej,  304  j  I  pi. 
leuen,  425;  2  pi.  leue, 
308;  pres.  subj.  2  sg. 
leue,  865.  O.  E.  (An- 
glian) lefan. 

leued,  adj.,  covered  vuitk 
leaves:  978.      See  lef. 

liure,  n.,  uniform  of  re- 
tainer :  pi.  liurej,  1 108. 
O.  F.  livere. 

lo,  interj. :  693,  740,  822. 
O.  E.  la;  cf.  also  O.  E. 
loca. 

loje,  n.,  pool,  voater:  119. 
Old  Northumbr.  luh  ? 

loke,  V.  intr.,  look,  167; 
loke  on,  710,  934;  tr., 
consider,  463  (or  per- 
haps, bevuare),  1 145  (see 


154 


<0lo60ar^ 


n.):  inf.  9345  pres.  subj. 
3  sg.  loke,  710;  pret.  i 
sg.  loked,  167,  1 145  j 
imp.  sg.  loke,  463.  O.  E. 
locian. 

lokej,  pi.  n.,  expression  of 
countenance,  appearance  : 
1 134.    O.  E.  V.  I5cian. 

lokyng,  n.,  ga%e  :  1049. 
Cf.  preceding  word. 

lombe,  n.,  lamb,  Christ, 
802,  822,  861,  867,  945, 
1047,  1064:  413,  741, 
etc.,  in  all  19  times  j 
loumbe,  867;  lambe,  757, 
771;  lamb,  407;  lomb, 
815  ;  gs.  lombe,  1141  ; 
lombej,  872;lambes,785. 
O.  E.  lamb. 

lompelyjt,  n.,  lamplight  : 
1046.      Fr.  lampe. 

londe,  n. ,  land ;  region, 
148  ;  field,  802  ;  Judy 
londe,  land  of  Judea, 
937.      O.  E.  land. 

lone,  n., /fl«^:  1066.  O.  E. 
lane. 

long,  adj.,  597;  as  n.,  586: 
longe,  1024.    O.  E.  long. 

longe,  impers.  v.,  me 
longed,  /  longed,  144. 
O.   E.  langian. 

longe,  V.  intr.,  adhere  to, 
be  a  part  of,  belong  -.  pres. 


part.  longande,  462. 
Aphetized  form  of  O.  E. 
gelang. 

longe,  adv.  :  477,  533; 
comp.  lenger:  168,  180, 
977.   O.  E.  longe,  lengra. 

longeyng,  n., yearning  de- 
sire: 244,  1 1 80  J  in  com- 
pound, luf-Iongyng,  1 1 5 2. 
O.  E.  langung. 

lorde,  n.,  =  'homini  patri- 
familias'  of  Matt.  20.  i, 
502,  506,  513,  522,  526, 
541,  557;  God,  285,  678, 
698;  Christ,  304,  362, 
403.  407,  4i3>  583.  632, 
74i>  795>  1204;  interj., 
108,  1 149,  1199.  O.  E. 
hlaford. 

lore,  n.,  ^ rule  of  beha'vior'' 
(N.  E.  D.):  in  comp. 
wommon lore,  236.  O.  E. 
lar. 

lose,  V.  intr.,  fail,  908  : 
inf  265,  908;  pret.  part, 
loste,  as  adj.,  1092. 
O.  E.  losian. 

lote,  n.,  lot,  fortune:  1205. 
O.  E.  hlot. 

lote,  n.,  aspect,  896;  man- 
ner, 238;  loud  sound,  876. 
O.  N.  lat,  and  Ijete. 

lope, n.,  trouble:  377.  O.  E. 


^losfiar^ 


155 


loude,  adj.:  878.  O.  E. 
hlud. 

loue,  V.  tr.,  praise:  285, 
342,  1124,  1 127.  O.  E. 
lofian. 

loue,  V.  tr. :  pres.  3  sg. 
louej,  403,  407.  O.  E. 
lufian. 

loueloker,  see  lufly,  adj. 

loute,  V.  intr.,  be  hidden, 
li've  in  retirement:  pres. 
2  pi.  loute,  933.  O.  E. 
lutian. 

lowe,  adj.,  1001;  loiv  in 
rank  or  order,  547:  su- 
perl.  lowest,  looi.  As 
adv.,   236.      O.  N.  lagr. 

luf,  n.,  lonje,  467,  851;  luf- 
daungere,  1 1  5  luf  long- 
yng,  1 1 52.      O.  E.  lufu. 

lufly,  adj.,  lonely,  148,  693, 
962  5  delightful,  880  : 
louely,  693;  comp.  loue- 
loker, 148.  O.  E.  luf- 
lic. 

lufly,  adv. ,  beautifully :  9  7  8 . 
O.  E.  luflTce. 

lufsoum,  adj.,  lonely:  as 
n.,  398.    O.  E.  lufsum. 

lure,  n.,  loss:  pi.  lurej,  339. 

O.  E.  lyre. 
lure,  n.,  fronxjn:   pi.    lurej, 
358.       M.     E.    V.    loure 
<  .?  O.  E.  *lurian. 


lurke,  V.  intr.,  steal  along: 
pret.  I  sg.  lurked,  9 78. 
lur-  (in  mod.  lour)  -|-  fre- 
quentative suffix  k  .? 
lyf,  n.,  247,  305,  etc.;  eter- 
nal life,  1078,  1146:  gs. 
lyuej,  477,  578,  908. 
O.  E.  llf. 
lyfte,  part,  adj.,  lifted:  567. 

O.  N.  lypta. 
lygynge,  n.,  abiding-place: 
pi.   lygynge^,    935.      See 
lyj;  cf.  No.  ligge. 
Iy3,  v.  intr.,/zV,  214;  lodge, 
dnxiell,  930;   lys  in  hym, 
is  in  his  poiver,  360;  be 
contained,  602:   inf.  930; 
pres.  3  sg.  lys,  360,  602; 
pret.    3    sg.    leghe,    214. 
O.  E.  licgan. 
ly;e,   n.,   lie:   304.      O.  E. 

lyge. 
lyjt,    n.,    Itght  :    69,    119, 
1043, 1050, 1073;  lompe- 
ly^t,  1046.     O.  E.  leoht. 
ly-^tkyViA)., bright, soo;pure, 
682  :   lyjt,    682.      O.  E. 
leoht. 
lyjte,  adj., /)/////^:  238.    As 
adv.,  lightly,  easily:  214. 
O.  E.  leoht. 
ly^te,  V.    intr.,   arrinje  (w. 
prep.),^K^,  %^j;  descend, 
943,    988:     pret.    2    sg. 


156 


(Sloggar:^ 


lyjte,  247;  3sg.  lyjt,  9435 

pret.  part.  lyjt,  988.  O.  E. 

lihtan. 
lyjtly,  adv.,    easily  :    359. 

O.  E.  leohtllce. 
lyk,    adj.,   like:   501,    874, 

896;  lyke,  735.      Adv., 

432.      O.  E.  gelic. 
lykej,  V.  impers.,  /'/  pleases: 

566.      O.  E.  llcian. 
lykne,  v.  tr.,  liken:  pres.  3 

sg.    lyknej,    500.      Adj. 

lyk  +  en. 
lykyng,  n.,  pleasure:  247. 

O.  E.  licung. 
lym,    n.,    limb:    462;    pi. 

lymmej,  464.    O.  E.  lim. 
lyne,  n.,  line;  by  lyne,  in 

regular  order,  6x6.  O.E. 

line.      F.  ligne. 
lynne,  n., //«^«:  731.  O.E. 

lln. 
lys,  see  lyj. 
lyste,    n.,  joy,   467,    908; 

joyful  desire,  173.    O.E. 

lystan. 
lyste,  impers.  v.,  //  pleases; 

me  lyste,  I  desired:  pret. 

3    sg.    lyste,     146,    181, 

1 141.      O.  E.  lystan. 
Fasten,  v.  tr.,  listen  to:  880. 

O.  Northumbrian  lysna. 
lyth,  n.,  litnb:  398.     O.  E. 

lit'. 


lyttel,  adj.,  387;  of  lonv 
rank,  574  ;  implying  en- 
dearment, 1147  ;  as  n., 
575,  604;  comp.  lasse, 
491,  etc.;  as n.,  339,  601, 
853  J  he  lasse  in  werke, 
those  ^who  did  less  nvork, 
599:  lesse,  339,  852;  les, 

864,  876.  Adv.  lyttel, 
172,     301  ;    comp.     les, 

865,  888,  900.  O.  E. 
lytel.  Comp.  leessa,  adj. } 
Iecs,  adv. 

ly}?e,  V.  tr.,  assuage,   357  ; 

soothe,  3 69: inf.  357;  imp. 

sg.    lybej,    369.     O.   E. 

liban. 
lyue,  V.  intr.,  li^e:  pret,  2 

sg.  lyfed,  48  3 ;  pres.  part. 

lyuyande,  700;  pret. part. 

lyued,  477,  776.      O.  E. 

libban. 
lyfier,  adj.  as  n.,  e'vil:  567. 

O.  E.  lyke. 

M 

ma,  F.  poss. :  par  ma  fay, 
489. 

ma,  see  make,  mon. 

mad,  adj.,  infatuated,  in- 
sane: 267,  1166,  1 199; 
madde,  290.  O.  E. 
gemaed. 


(3iofi&m 


157 


maddyng,  n.,  madness  : 
1 1 54.      Verb  mad  +  ing. 

make,  n.,  consort  :  759. 
O.  E.  gemaca;  cf.  O.  N. 
maki. 

make,  v.  tr.,  140,  etc.; 
cause,  w.  inf.,  539;  make 
acorde,  371;  at  ene,  953; 
feste,  283;  mirj^e,  11 49; 
marred  o^er  madde,  359: 
inf.  176,  304,  474;  ma, 
283;  pres.  I  sg.  make, 
281;  3  sg.  mat^,  610;  3 
pi.  man,  512;  pret.  3 
sg.  made,  522,  11 49; 
mad,  5  39j  2  pi.  made, 
371  J  pret.  part,  mad, 
274,  486,  953;  made, 
1 40  j  madde,  359.  O.  E. 
macian. 

makelej,  adj.,  peerless  : 
435,  780,  784.  Make  + 
less. 

malte,  v.  intr.,  sink,  melt, 
enter:  inf.  2245  pret.  3 
sg.  malte,  11 54.  O.  E. 
meltan. 

man,  see  mon. 

maner,  n.,  habitation,  918; 
feudal  toivn,  stronghold, 
1029  :  manayre,  1029. 
O.  F.  manoir. 

mankyn,  n.,  mankind:  637. 
O.  E.  mancynn. 


marer,  n.,  spoiler,  botcher: 

gs.  marerej,  382. 
margyrye,n.,/)fi3r/:  1037: 

pi.  margarys,    199;  mar- 

iorys,  206.      O.   F.  mar- 

gerie. 
marked,  n.,   market:  513. 

Late  O.  E.  market. 
marre,  v.  tr. ,  ruin:  pres.  2 

sg.  marre5,23;  pret.  part. 

marred,     359.        O.     E. 

merran. 
Mary,  pr.  n. :  383;  Marye, 

425. 
maryage,     n.,     marriage: 

414;  maryag,  778.   O.  F. 

mariage. 
mas,  n. ,  mass :  1 1 1 5 ;  messe, 

497;  mes,  862.      O.    E. 

maesse;  O.  F.  messe. 
mascle,  n.,  spot,  stain:  726; 

masklle,     843.        O.    F. 

mascle. 
maskelle^,     adj.,    spotless: 

733.  756,  768,  769,  780; 

maskelles,      744,      781  ; 

maskelej,  745,  757,  900, 

923  ;     mascellej,      732. 

Mascle  +  less. 
mate,  adj.,  dejected:  mor- 

nyf  mate,    386.      O.    F. 

mat. 
mate,     v.     tr. ,    checkmate, 

daunt:  613.  O.  F.  mater. 


158 


(^losisint^ 


MaJ^ew,  pr.  n. :  497. 

may,  n.,  maiden:  435,  961. 
O.  E.  mxg. 

may,  pret.  pres.,  can,  29, 
69,  etc. ;  be  permitted, 
447,  661,  669,  694,  703, 
918,  966,  970;  as  mere 
modal  auxiliary,  317, 
771;  the  pret.  has  either 
pres.  or  pret.  force  ac- 
cording to  the  tense  of 
verbs    in     the     context  5 

*  mojt '  has,  if  anything, 
more  positive  force  than 

♦  myjt '  :  pres.  i  sg.  may, 
487,  783  ;  2  sg.  296, 
347,  694,  703,  966,  970; 
3Sg.  300,  310,  312,  355, 
357,  421,  544,  661,  757, 
771,  899,  908,  1069; 
2  pi.  918,  105 1 ;  moun, 
536;  3  pi.  29,  336,  447, 
496,  669,  8535  pret.  I 
sg.  mojt,  188  ;  2  sg. 
myate,  317;  3  sg.  mojt, 
34,  194,  223,  224, 
225,  427,  479,  843, 
1028,  1 1255  mojte,  47  5; 
molten,      11 96  ;     myjt, 

69,  135,  176,  Til, 
1082,  1157  ;  3  pi. 
mojt,  92  ;  myjt,  579. 
O.  E.  maeg,  meahte, 
mihte. 


mayden,  n.,  maiden,  162, 
1 115;  869:  pi.  mayde- 
nej,  1 1 1 5 ;  maydennej, 
869.      O.  E.  maegden. 

maynful,  adj.,  po^verful; 
full:  1093.  O.  E.  msegen 
+  ful. 

mayster,  n.,  o'verlord  (a 
word  of  feudal  associa- 
tions), used  of  Christ: 
462,  900.  O.  F.  mais- 
tre. 

maysterful,  adj.,  o'ver- 
bearing:  401.  O.  F. 
maistre  -{-  ful. 

mede,  n.,  meed,  renuard: 
620.      O.  E.  med. 

meke,  adj.,  submissi've  : 
404,  815,  832,  961. 
O.  N.  miukr. 

mekenesse,  n. :  407. 

mele,  v.  intr.,  discourse, 
talk  :  inf.  925  ;  melle, 
797,  1 1 18  (both  in  rime); 
pres.  3  sg.  melej,  497; 
pret.  I  sg.  meled,  589. 
O.  E.  mSlan. 

melle,  see  in  melle. 

member,  n. :  458.  O.  F. 
membre. 

mendej,  pi.  n.  (as  sg.  ?), 
reparation:  351.  Aphe- 
tic  form  of  amendes  < 
O.  F.  amendes. 


6lo00ar^ 


159 


mendyng,  verbal  noun,  im- 
pro-uement:  452.  Mend 
(aphetic  form  of  amend 
<  O.  F.  amender)  + 
ing. 

mene,  v.  tr.,  hanje  in  mind, 

937;  "gnify,  293>  951: 
inf.  293,  951;  pres.  z 
sg.  menej,  937.  O.  E. 
mSnan. 

mensk,  n.,  decorous  bear- 
ing: 783;  menske,  162. 
O.  N.  mennska. 

menteene,  v.  tr.,  maintain: 
inf.  783.  O.  F.  main- 
tenir. 

mercy,  n. :  356,  623,  670; 
merci,  576;  mersy,  383. 
O.  F.  merci. 

mere,  n.,  boundary  -  line: 
158  ;  pi.  merej,  140, 
1 1 66.      O.  E.  gemjere. 

merked,  part,  adj.,  placed: 
142.      O.  E.  mearcian. 

meruayle,  n. ,  that  ivhich 
isnuonderfulyfnar'vel,  64, 
157,  1 1 3 o ;  astonishment, 
1 081:  merwayle,  1081; 
pi.  meruaylej,  64.  O.  F. 
merveille. 

meruelous,  adj.,  marnjel- 
ous:  1 166.  O.  F.  mer- 
veillous. 

mes,  messe,  see  mas. 


meschef,  n.,  injury:  275. 
O.  F.  meschef. 

mesure,  n.,  measure  of  ex- 
cellence :  224.  O.  F. 
mesure. 

mete,  adj.,  meet,  proper, 
10635  as  adv.,  properly, 
833.      O.  E.  (ge)m£ete. 

mete,  n.,  act  of  eating:  641. 
O.  E.  mete. 

mete,  v.  tr.,  get,  find,  329; 
intr. ,  meet  together,  329, 
918:  inf.  329,  918;  pres. 
I  pi.  meten,  380.  O.  E. 
metan. 

meten,  v.  tr. ,  measure  : 
inf.  1032.  O.  E.  me- 
tan. 

meue,  v.  tr.,  mo^e,  stir 
(one's  emotions),  64; 
absol.  156:  pres.  3  pi. 
meuen,  64 ;  pret.  3  sg. 
meued,  156.  O.  F. 
muver. 

meyny,  n.,  ser^uants  of  the 
household  or  estate,  542; 
retinue,  892,  899,  925, 
960,  1127,  1145.  O.  F. 
mesnee. 

mo,  see  much. 

mode,  n.,  measure,  har- 
mony :  pi.  mode^,  884. 
F.  mode. 

mode,    n.,    mind,    temper: 


i6o 


<0lo00ar^ 


738,  83a  ;  mod,  401. 
O.  E.  mod. 

moder,  n.,  mother  (the  Vir- 
gin), 435.   O.  E.  moder. 

mokke,  n. ,  muck,  manure: 
905.     O.  N.  mykr. 

mol,  see  mul. 

molde,  n. ,  mould,  earth: 
gs.  30.     O.  E.  molde. 

mon,  n.,  man,  115,  etc.; 
human  being,  290,  11955 
man  as  distinguished  from 
God,  314;  indef.,  one, 
they,  165,  194,  331,  334, 
336,  728,  799  j  mony 
mon,  340  ;  no  mon,  69, 
95,  520  j  vch  ma,  vch 
mon,    323,    604  :    mon, 

69»  95»  194,  3io»  340, 
520,  603,  661,  799  ; 
man,  165,  314,  334,  386, 
675,  685,  1195;  ma,323j 
gs.  manej,  940,  11 54; 
mannej,  223;  pi.  men, 
115,  290,  331,  336,  514, 
5^7,  S3i»  573j  674,  728. 
O.  E.  mon,  man. 

mon,  n.,  moan,  complaint: 
374.      Cf.  O.  E.  msnan. 

mone,  n.,  the  moon,  1044, 
1045,  1056,  1057,  1069, 
1072,  1093;  'vnder'  or 
'anvnder  mone,'  in  the 
^world,  on  earth,   almost 


altogether,  at  all,  923, 
1068,  1092;  in  vche  a 
mone,  each  month,  1080. 
O.  E.  mona. 

mony,  adj.,  many:  w.  sg.  n. 
and  indefinite  article,  775; 
without  article,  160,  340: 
pi.  mony,  572.  O.  E. 
manig. 

more,  see  much. 

morne,  v.,  mourn:  inf.  359. 
O.  E.  muman. 

mornyf,  adj.,  mournful: 
momyf  mate,  386. 

mornyng,  n.,  mourning: 
262.     O.  E.  murnung. 

mot,  pret.  pres.,  must,  25, 
31,  319,  etc.;  optative 
auxiliary,  399;  the  pret. 
has  pret.  or  pres.  force 
according  to  the  tense  of 
verbs  in  the  context:  pres. 
2  sg.  moste,  319;  most, 
348  j  pres.  3  sg.  mot,  25, 
31,  320,  397,  663  ;  3  pi. 
moste,  623.  O.  E.  mot, 
mOste. 

mote,  n.,  a  feudal  'village 
or  city  set  on  a  hill;  moat, 
9482 ;  (used  of  the  New 
Jerusalem)  142,  936,  937, 
948,  973:  moote,  948; 
pi.  motej,  949.  O.  F. 
mote. 


(Slo^sfar^ 


i6i 


mote,  n.,  spot:  726,  764, 

855*  9*4.  960,  9725  mot, 

843.      O.  E.  mot. 
mote,  V.  tr.,  utter  in  argu- 
ment,   urge :   pres.   2    sg. 

motej,  61  3.  O.  E.  motian. 
motelej,  adj.,  spotless:  925, 

961;  moteles,  899.   Mote 

+ less. 
moul,  n.,  mould:  23.      Cf. 

Dan.  mul,  Swed.'  mogel. 
moun,  see  may. 
mount,    n.  :    868.      O.  E. 

munt. 
mounte,  v.   intr. ,  increase: 

pres.     3     sg.  ?     mounted, 

351.      O.  F.  munter. 
mouth,     n. :      183,      803. 

O.  E.  mu)'. 
much,  adj.,  244,  776,  11 18, 

1130J  absol.  604,  1 149. 

Comp.  more,    128,   157, 

^34,  4-75,  479>  57^,  585; 
absol.,  132,  133,  552, 
564.  577»  600,  852,  951, 
1033,  1 1955  mo  (of  num- 
ber), 151,  340;  1 194; 
he  mo  I'e  myiyer,  850. 
O.  E.  micel,  mara,  ma. 
much,  adv.,  234,  303,  374, 
576.  Comp.  more,  144, 
145,  156,  168,  169,  180, 
181,  212,  552,  565,  588, 
589,  599;  no  more,  1 190: 


mare    (in    rime),     145. 

Superl.       moste,      1 1 3 1 . 

O.  E.  micel,  mare,  mast, 
mul,    n.,    dust:   905;   mol, 

382.      O.  E.  myl. 
munt,  n.,  aim:  1161.     Cf. 

M.   E.   V.  munte,   O.  E. 

myntan. 
my,    poss.     pron. :     15—18, 

123,    etc.  ;     myn,     128, 

174,    176,    200;  absol., 

566.      O.  E.  min. 
myddej,  see  in  myddej. 
myjt,    n.,    might,    ponjuer: 

630,  765;    myjte,    1069; 

myste  (rime),  462.   O.  E. 

miht. 
myke,  n.,  one  in  high  posi- 
tion t     pi.    mykej,     572. 

Cf.  O.  N.  mikill. 
mylde,  adj.,   meek,  gentle, 

961,    1115;  as  n.,   721. 

O.  E.  milde. 
myn,  see  I,  my. 
mynde,  n. :  i  56,  224,  1 1  30, 

1154.    O.  E.  (ge)mynd. 
mynge,  v.  intr. ,  call  atten- 
tion   to,    speak    of:    855. 

O.  E.  myngian. 
mynne,    v.     intr.,    call    to 

mind:   inf.    583.    O.    N. 

minna. 
mynyster,      n.,      minster: 

1063.    O.  E.  mynster. 


l62 


Slo&aatv 


myr]7e,  n.,  siveet  sound, 
music,  925  pleasance, 
pleasure  garden,  1405 
mirtje  made,  made  merry, 
or  uttered  svueet  sounds  ?, 
1 149:  pi.  myrt>ej,  140. 
O.  E.  myrgj). 

myrj^e,  v.  tr.,  cause  to  re- 
joice, make  merry,  pres. 
3  sg.  myrbej,  862. 
Formed  fr.  n. 

myry,  adj.,  delightful, 
lonjely ;  of  things,  23, 
158,  199,  936;  of  per- 
sons, 435,  7815  \>e  mo 
\>t  myryer,  850:  comp. 
myryer,  850  ;  superl. 
myry  est,  435;  myryeste, 
199.    O.  E.  myrige. 

mys,  see  mysse. 

myserecorde,  n. ,  forgi'-ving 
mercy.  366.  O.  F.  mise- 
ricorde. 

mysetente,  v.  tr.,  /leed  ill: 
pret.  part,  mysetente, 
257.  M.  E.  mis  +  tente, 
var.  of  tend,  aphetic  form 
of  attend  <0.  F.  atendre. 

mysse,  n.,  failure,  sin: 
364,  382;  mys,  262. 
O.  E.  missan. 

mysse,  v.  tr.,  lack:  inf. 
329.     O.  E.  missan. 

mysse^eme,  v.  tr.,  abuse: 


inf.  322.  O.  E.  mis- 4" 
O.  E.  geman. 

myste,  see  myjt. 

mystery,  n. :  pi.  mysterys, 
1 194.    F.  mystere. 

mytey-n.,  mite:  351.  O.  F. 
mite. 

myfe,  v.  tr. ,  escape  (sor- 
row): 359.   O.  E.  mij^an. 

N 

najt,  see  nyjt. 

name,n. :  998,  1039;  nome, 
872.      O.  E.  noma. 

nature,  n. :  749.  O.  F. 
nature. 

naule,  n.,  «flzV:  459.  O.N. 
nagli. 

nauj'er,  conj.,  neither;  cor- 
rel.  w.  ne,  465,  484,  485, 
1044,  1087;  reinforcing 
ne,  751:  nawj'er,  485, 
751,  1044,  1087.  O.  E. 
naul'er,  nawj^er  <  na- 
hwEeJ^er. 

na'where,  adv.,  no^where: 
534,  932-  O-  E.  na- 
hwasr. 

ne,  adv.,  not,  35,  65,  293, 
350,  471,  619;  reinfor- 
cing another  negative,  4, 
100,  362,  403,  516,  825, 
1071,    1082:    nis,    100; 


^Io0gar^ 


163 


nys,  951.  Conj.,  nor: 
26a,  334,  347,  465,  484, 
485,688,751,848,918, 
1044,  1045,  1087,  1062; 
nee,  262.  O.  E.  ne. 

n&ce,  \\.,  niece:  233.  O.F. 
niece. 

nede,  n.,  need:  1045.  O.  E. 
ned. 

nede,impers.  v. ; hemnedde, 
they  had  need :  pret.  3 
sg.  nedde,  1044.  O.  E. 
neodian. 

nede^,  adv.,  of  necessity: 
25,  344.  O.  E.  nedes, 
gs.  of  ned. 

nejbor,  n.,  neighbor:  688. 
O.  E.  neahgebur. 

nem,  see  nymme. 

nemme,  v.  tr.,  name:  997. 
O.  E.  nemman. 

nente,  adj.,  ninth:  1012. 
Cf.  O.  E.  nigoj^a. 

ner,  adv.,  near:  262,  286; 
nere,  404.  O.  E.  near, 
comp.  of  neah. 

nerre,  comp.  adj.,  more 
nearly  related,  or  per- 
haps dearer:  233.  O.  E. 
nearra,  comp.  of  neah. 

nesch,  adj.  as  adv.,  ten- 
derly: 606.    O.  E.  hnesc. 

neuer,  adv.:  4,  19,  71,  etc. 
O.  E.  niefre. 


neuerj^elese,  adv.,  never- 
theless, alike :  912,  913  ; 
neuerj^eles,  901 ;  nau^elej, 
877  ;  nawj)eles,  950  ; 
nowl^elese,  889. 

new,  see  nwe. 

no,  adj.  pron.,  32,  102, 
225,  etc.;  no  mon,  69, 
95,  520;  no  gome,  231  ; 
no  wy9,  100,  722;  pi., 
917.  Adv.:  951,  977, 
1 190.    O.  E.  na. 

noble,  adj.:  922,  1097. 
O.  F.  noble. 

nojt,  pron.,  nothing:  274, 
337,  563,  588,  657,  955. 
Adv.,  520,  1050.  O.  E. 
na  -f  wiht. 

nom,  see  nymme. 

nome,  see  name. 

non,  adj.  pron.,  not  any, 
206,  209,  219,440,  544, 
764,  848,  io6ij  as  n., 
812,  825;  w.  genitive, 
215,  455;  absol.,  «o- 
body,\\i,  568,  700,  853, 
889,  1067,  1141,  1159: 
pi.  none,  440.  O.  E. 
nan. 

not,  adv.:  34,92,  135,  etc. 
See  nojt. 

note,  n.,  matter,  affair, 
155,  922;  musical  note, 
883 J  song  (^=  canticum. 


164 


(Slosf^ar^ 


Apoc.    14.  3),    879   (see 

n.):  pi.  notej,  883. 
no}?ynk,  pr.,  yiothing:  308, 

496,  587 J  not>yng,  11 57. 
now,  adv.,  271,  283,  287, 

etc.;  resumptive,  429;  as 

conj.,    nonx)    that,    377'. 

O.  E.  nu. 
nwe,  adj.,  nenv,  155,  etc.; 

nevve     fryt     =    primitiEe 

(Apoc.  14.  4),  894:  155, 

792,  879,  882,  943,  987; 

pi.  nw,  527,  Adv.,  anenv: 

1080,  1123;  new,  662. 
nyjt,  n.,  night:  116,  1071; 

nyjte,     243;    najt,    523; 

najte,  1203.     O.  E.  niht, 

naeht. 
nymme,    v.    tr.,    receive  : 

pret.     3    sg.    nam,    802; 

3    pi.    nom,    587  ;    pret. 

part,  innome,  703.   O.  E. 

niman. 


obe,  v.  tr.,  do  obeisance  to: 
pres.  3  pi.  obes,  8  86.  F. 
obeir. 

odour,  n.,  fragrance  :  58. 
O.  F.  odur. 

of,  prep.,  25,  55,  69,  etc.; 
from,  31,  33,  350,  353, 
425,443,  607,  608,  749, 
967,    1055,  1137,  1161; 


w.  out,  3,  2^2,  365,  etc.  ; 
because  of ,  11,  119,  1 1  26, 
II 67;  by  (denoting agent), 
248  ;  in  phrase  denoting 
material,  76,  207,  274, 
371,  926,  989,  1037, 
etc. ;  concerning,  226,  689, 


75- 


521,     919,     925, 


1132  ;  in  phrase  denot- 
ing the  obj.,  12,  275, 
317,  450,  665,  855,  860, 
1096,  1 1 18,  1206,  etc.; 
in  respect  to,  74,  334, 
431,  481,  682,  887,  896, 
1005,  1031,  1070,  etc.; 
in,  according  to,  1 1  o  i ; 
in  phrase  equivalent  to. 
partitive  gen.  335,  577, 
853*  ii9S>  etc.;  in 
phrases:  of  al  &  sum, 
584;  in  respecte  of,  84: 
o,  309,  429,  792,  1018. 
Adv.,  off,  237;  anvay, 
358.     O.  E.  of 

offys,  n.,  office,  position  : 
755.      O.  F.  office. 

ofte,  adv.  :  14,  340,  388. 
Comp.  ofter,  621.  O.  E. 
oft. 

oje,  v.  tr.,  o'ljoe,  543;  ought 
(pret.),  II 39;  impers.  /'/ 
is  incumbent  upon  (w.  da- 
tive), 341,  552:  pres.  I 
sg.  owe,  543;  pres.  subj. 


&\os$avv 


165 


3  sg.  oje,  552;pret.  3  sg. 
ajt,  1 1 39;  ojte,  w.  pres. 
force,  341.      O.  E.  agan. 

Ojt,  pron.,  anything,  izoo; 
joOT^M/«g-,  contrasted  with 
no^t,  274.  O.  E.  a  + 
wiht. 

olde,  adj.:94i,  942.  Comp. 
alder,  621.  Superl.  ald- 
est,  1042.      O.  E.  aid. 

on,  num.  and  pron.,  one, 
»93.  557.  860,  953  ;  in- 
def.  art.,  9,  530,  869; 
alone,  243,  312;  at  on, 
in  harmony,  378:  one, 
243,  312;  an,  869;  O.  E. 
an.      See  vchon. 

on,  prep.,  on,  upon,  in 
(where  the  following  noun 
is  otherwise  unmodified 
the  article  is  omitted),  41, 
78,  214,  etc.;  express- 
ing time,  243,  486  ; 
manner,  97,  1095;  con- 
cerning, 60;  leuen  on: 
425;yor,  826;  in  phrases: 
on  honde,  155;  on  hyjt, 
501;  on  lenghe,  167;  for 
a  pene  on  a  day,  510;  on 
jer,  1079;  ^'^  compound 
prep.,  on  wyj>er  half,  230. 

on,  adv.:  45,  255,  810. 
O.  E.  on. 

oncom,  V.  intr.,  superijene: 


pret.  3  sg.  oncom,   645. 

See  com. 
onende,  see  anende. 
only,  adv.  as  prep.,  except: 

779.      O.  E.  adj.  anlic. 
onslyde,  v.  intr.?,   unfold: 

pres.  3  pi.  onslydej,    77. 

Pref   on   (un)  +  O.   E. 

slldan. 
onsAvare,  v.  intr.,  ansiver: 

inf     680.      O.    E.    and- 

swerian. 
onvunder,  see  anvnder. 
open, adj. :  i83;vpen,  1066; 

vpon,  198.      O.  E.  open. 
Oryent,  n.,  the  Orient,  3, 

82;  as  adj..  Oriental,  or 

perhaps   merely  lustrous, 

resplendent:  Oryente,  82; 

orient,  255.    O.  F.  orient. 
ofer,  adj.,  other,  319,  842, 

935j  955  5  nonoher,  206, 

209,  219,  848;  absol.  as 

pron.,  sg.  449,   450;  pi. 

ot^er,  585,  773,  778:  gs. 

ojierej,  450.     O.  E.  oj'er. 
ofer,  conj.,   or:  118,   359, 

380,      etc.;    correl.      w. 

whether,  130,  567,  604; 

w.      que)>ersoeuer,    606  ; 

a)5er,  491.      O.  E.   obJ^e. 
oure,  n.,  hour:   530,   551; 

hourej,  555.      O.  F.  ure, 

hure. 


i66 


^lo00ar^ 


oure,  poss.  pron. :  304,  322, 

455»     690,     702,     807. 

O.  E.  Gre. 
out,  adv.  w.  of,  3,  365,  642, 

649,    1 163,   U70:  oute, 

3.     O.  E.  ut. 
outdryf,    v.   tr.,  dri've  out: 

inf.  777.      Out  +  O.  E. 

drifan. 
outfleme,  n. ,  exile:   11 77. 

Out  +  fleme. 
outryjte,      adv.,      directly 

out:   1055.    Out+  O.  E. 

rihte. 
outsprente,  v.  intr.,  spurt 

out:   pret.  3Sg.  outsprent, 

1 1 37.      Cf.    M.    H.    G. 

sprenzen;  O.    N.    spretta 

(*sprenta). 
ouer,    prep.,    abo've,    454, 

773;  upon,  1205;  across, 

318,  324,  1 166.      O.  E. 

ofer. 
ouer,  adv.,  too,  473  ;  ouer 

gayn,  o'ver  against,  138. 

O.  E.  ofer. 
ouerte,  adj.,  patent  :   593. 

O.  F.  overt, 
ouerture,  n.,  opening  (in  a 

garment):    218.      O.    F. 

overture. 
©■we,  see  oje. 
OTvne,  intens.    pron.:   559. 

O.  E.  agen. 


pace,  n.,  passage,  chapter: 
677.      O.  F.  pas. 

pakke,  n.,  company  (with- 
out meaner  modern  con- 
notation of  the  word): 
929.  Corresponds  to  M. 
Flem.  pac,  Dutch  pale. 

pale,  V.  intr.,  appear  pale: 
inf.  1 004.  Adaptation 
of  O.  F.  palir. 

pane,  n.,  one  side  of  a 
lualled  toivn:  1034.  F. 
pan. 

par,  F.  prep.,  in  phrase, 
par  ma  fay:  489. 

paradys,  n. ,  the  garden  of 
Eden,  321;  hea'ven,  137, 
248  :  paradyse,  137  ; 
paradys  erde,  paradys 
greue,  248,  321.  F. 
paradis. 

parage,  n.,  noble  lineage: 
419.      F.  parage. 

paraunter,  adv.,  perhaps: 
588.      O.  F.  aventure. 

parfyt,  adj.,  perfect,  638, 
1038;  as  quasi -part,  adj., 
perfectly  nur ought,  208: 
perfet,  208.  O.  F.  par- 
fit. 

part,  n.,  share:  573.  O.  F. 
part. 


6losf0ar^ 


167 


partlej,  adj.,  halving  no 
share:   335. 

passe,  V.  intr.,  go,  mo; 
be  acquitted,  jot,  tr., 
cross,  299;  surpass,  428, 
753:  pret.  part,  in  use 
equivalent  to  prep.  '  past,' 
528  (cf.  apassed)  :  inf. 
299,  707,  1 1 10;  pres.  3 
sg.  passes,  753;  pret. 
subj.  3  sg.  passed,  428; 
pret.    part,    passed,    528. 

0.  F.  passer. 

Pater,  pr.  n.,  Paternoster: 

485. 
Paule,   pr.    n.,    St.    Paul: 

457- 
pay,  V.    tr.,   please,    1201; 

impers.  1165,  1177  ; 
pay,  524,  542,  632,  etc.: 
inf.  i2oij  pres.  i  sg. 
pay,  5*4  ;  3  sg.  payej, 
632;  pret.  3  sg.  payed, 
1 1 65,  1 1 77;  imp-  sg. 
pay,  542,  635;  pret.  part. 
payed,  584,  603.  O.  F. 
payer, 
paye,  n.,  pleasure,  fa'vor: 

1,  1164,  1176,  1188, 
1189,  1200:  pay,  1212. 
O.  F.  paye. 

payment,  n.,  act  of  paying: 
598.      O.  F.  payement. 
payne,    n.,   penalty,    664; 


pain,  124,  954  (with 
connotation  of  penalty'): 
pi.  paynej,  124.  O.  F. 
paine;  Lat.  poena. 

paynt,  v.  tr. :  pret.  3  sg. 
paynted,  750.  O.  F. 
peindre. 

payred,  part,  adj.,  ^wasted, 
ijjorn  :  246.  Inf.  an 
aphetized  form  of  O.  F. 
empeirer. 

pechche,n.,/z«:  841.  O.  F. 
pechet. 

pensyf,  adj.,  sunk  in  gloomy 
thought  :  246.  O.  F. 
pensif. 

peny,  n. ,  penny,  =  denario 
(Matt.  20.  2,  13):  546, 
560,  614  ;  pene,  510, 
562.      O.  E.  penig. 

pere,  n.,  peer:  4.  O.  F. 
per. 

pere,  n.,  pear-tree  :  pi. 
perej,  104.     O.  E.  peru. 

perfet,  see  parfyt. 

perle,  n.,  pearl;  literally, 
82,  192,  1038,  etc. ;  with 
more  or  less  figurative 
force,  221,  272,  732, 
733.  746,  768,  854, 
1104,  1 212;  collectively, 
as  designating  material, 
202,  216,  219,  229,  255; 
the   chief  person   of  the 


i68 


^losi0ar^ 


poem,  I,  12,  24,  36,  41, 
48,  53,  60,  241,  242, 
258,  282,  330,  335,  376, 

4".  744.  745»  75*5,  902, 

1104,  1182,  1192,  1206: 

pi.  perlej,  204,  240,  etc. 

O.  F.  perle. 
perre,  collect,   n.,  precious 

stones,   1028;  perre  pres, 

730.     O.  F.  pierrerie. 
peryle,  n.,  rzji':  695.   O.  F. 

peril. 
pes,   n.,  peace,   952,    953; 

reconciliation,   lift,   955. 

O.  F.  pais. 
pitously,  see  pytosly. 
place,  n.,  175;  abode,  city, 

405,   679,    1034.    O.  F. 

place, 
planet,    n. :     pi.     planetej, 

1075.    O.  F,  planete. 
plate,  n. :  pi.  platej,  1036. 

O.  F.  plate. 
play,  V.  intr.,  enjoy  recrea- 
tion,   make    merry  :     inf. 

261.     O.  E.  plegan. 
playn,   adj.,   smooth:    178. 

Adv.,     distinctly  :      689. 

^., field:   104;  pi.  play- 

nej,  122.     O.  F.  plain. 
playned,  see  pleny. 
^lnynt,  r\.,  complaint:   815. 

O.  F.  pleint. 
pleny,  v.  intr.,  lament,  5495 


tr.,  beavail,  53,  242:  inf. 
549;  pret.  I  sg.  playned, 
53;  pret.  part,  playned, 
242.    O.  F.  pleigner. 

plesaunte,  adj.,  pleasing: 
I .    O.  F.  plesant. 

plese,  V.  tr.,  satisfy,  inf. 
484.    O.  F.  plesir. 

plete,  V.  tr.,  urge:  inf.  563. 
O.  F.  plaider. 

plont,  n.,  plant:  pi.  plont- 
tej,  104.    O.  E.  plante. 

plye,  V.  tr.,  present,  sho^w: 
inf.  1039.    O.  F.  plier. 

plyt,  n.,  peril,  6475  condi- 
tion, 1075,  1 1 14;  cir- 
cumstance, 1 01 5:  plyjt, 
1075.  O.  E.  pliht,  dan- 
ger ;  O.  F.  plite,  condi- 
tion. 

pobble,  n.,  pebble:  ny. 
Cf.  O.  E.  popelstan,  pa- 
polstan. 

pole,  n. ,  pool;  perhaps  t/ie 
deeper,  quieter  part  of  a 
stream:   117.    O.  E.  pol. 

porchace,  v.  tr. ,  acquire 
avith  effort  :  inf.  744 ; 
pres.  3  pi.  porchasej,  439. 
O.  F.  porchacier. 

pore,  see  pouer. 

porfyl,  n.,  embroidered  bor- 
der: 216,  O.  F.  V.  por- 
filer. 


(Slofi^sar^ 


169 


porpose,  n.,  purpose,  267, 

508  j    intended  meaning, 

185:  porpos,  508.    O.  F. 

porpos. 
portal,  n.,  gate:    pi.    por- 

talej,  1036.    O.  F.  portal, 
possyble,  adj. :  452.   O.  F. 

possible. 
pouer,  adj.,   of  loiv  rank: 

1075;  pore,  573.    O.  F. 

poore. 
pourseut,    n.,     succession  : 

1035.    O.  F.  poursuit. 
powdered,  part,  adj.,  scat- 
tered thickly:  44.     O.  F. 

V.  poudrer. 
poyned,  part,  adj.,  pierced 

(of  <  open   work'):   216. 

O.  F.  poindre. 
poynt,  n.,  trait,  309;  point, 

succinct    statement,    594  ; 

note,  891.    O.  F.  point. 
pray,  n.,  prey:  439.    O.  F. 

praie. 
pray,   v.    intr.,    484;    tr., 

implore,   714,  1 1 9  2 :  inf. 

484  j   pret.  3  sg.  and  pi. 

prayed,  714,  1 192.  O.  F. 

praier. 
prayer,  n.,    355:   prayere, 

618.    O.  F.  preiere. 
prayse,  v.  tr.,  esteem,  301; 

pret.  part,  as  adj.,  highly 

^valued,    1 1 12:  inf.    3015 


pret.  part,  praysed,  11 12. 
O.  F.  praisier. 

precios,  adj.,  precious  :  4, 
36,  60,  192,  204,  216, 
228,  229,  330;  precious, 
48,  82,  1212.  O.  F. 
precios. 

pref,  n.,  proof:  272.  See 
put.    O.  F.  preuve. 

pres,  n.,  thronging  :  11 14. 
O.  F.  presse. 

pres,  n.,  great  njoorth,  419; 
quasi-adj.,  in  'perrepres' 
=  bonas  margaritas, 
(Matt.  12.  45),  730  (cf. 
Gavj.  1945):  prese,  419. 
O.  F.  preis  (Knigge,  p. 
103). 

pres,  V.  intr.,  press  for- 
nvard,  hasten  :  pres.  i 
pi.  pres,  957.  O.  F.  pres- 
ser. 

present,  adj.  as  n.,  pres- 
ence :  1 1 9  3  ;  presente, 
389.    O.  F.  present. 

preste,  n.,  priest  :  1210. 
O.  E.  preost. 

pretermynable,  adj.,  fore- 
ordaining: 596.  CI.  Lat. 
*terminabilis. 

preue,  v.  tr.,  ascertain  by 
trial,  find,  4  ;  shonu, 
983:  pret.  I  sg.  proued, 
4  ;    pret.     part,    preued. 


lyo 


^lofifiJat^ 


983.    O.  F.  preuver,  pro- 
ver ;   O.  E.  profian. 

Prince,  n.,  used  of  Christ  : 
laoi;  gs.  Pryncej,  11 64, 
1 1 76,  1 1  89;  Prynces,  i; 
Prynsej,  11 88.  O.  F. 
prince. 

profere,  v.  tr.,  offer  :  pres. 
3  pi.  proferen,  12005 
pret.  3  sg.  profered,  235. 
O.  F.  proferer. 

professye,  n. ,  inspired  pro- 
phecy :  821.  O.  F.  pro- 
phecie. 

profete,  n.,  prophet  :  797  ; 
prophete,  831.  O.  F. 
profete. 

proper,  adj.,  fair  :  686. 
O.  F.  propre. 

property,  n.,  attribute,  446; 
physical  characteristic  : 
pi.  property^,  752.  O.  F. 
properte. 

prosessyoun,  n.,  proces- 
sion :  1096.  O.  F.  pro- 
cession. 

proudly,  adv.,  in  dignified 
manner:  11 10.  O.  E. 
prutllce. 

proued,  see  preue. 

pryde,  n.:  401.  O.  E. 
pryte;   O.  N.  pryjji. 

prys,  n.,  excellence,  193, 
272,   419;  perle  of  prys 


=  pretiosa  margarita 
(Matt.  13.  46),  746  (cf. 
272).    O.  F.  pris. 

pryse,  v.  tr.,  esteem  :  inf. 
1 131.    O.  F.  priser. 

pryuy,  zd]. ,  familiar,  oavn: 
12  ;  priuy,  24.  O.  F. 
prive. 

pure,  adj. :  227,  745,  1088. 
O.  F.  pur. 

purly,  adv.,/«/>«rz/)':  1004. 
O.  F.  pur  +  ly. 

purpre,  adj.,  purple:  1016. 
O.  F.  pourpre. 

put,  V.  tr. ;  put  in  a  mad 
porpose,  gi'ven  onier  to 
mad  intent,  267  ;  put  in 
pref  to,  pro'ved,  272. 
O.  E.  potian. 

pyche,  V.  tr.,  set  (jewels), 
742;  array,  768:  pret.  3 
sg-  pyjt,  742,  768.  Cf 
O.  N.  pikka ;  doubtful 
O.  E.  pycan.    See  py?t. 

T^Yece,r\.,  person,  one:  192, 
229.    O.  F.  piece. 

pyjt,  part,  adj.,  set  (of 
jewels),  117,  193,  216, 
228  ;  set  ■voith  jenvels, 
205  ;  adorned,  217  (= 
ornata,  Apoc.  21.  19); 
991  ;  arrayed,  192,  229, 
240,    241  :    pyjte,    193, 

I      216,  240.    See  pyche. 


<5loflf0ai^ 


171 


pyke,  V.  tr. ,  carry  off :  pres. 

3    pl-    Pykej,    573.      Cf. 

O.    N.    pikka ;    doubtful 

O.  E.  pycan. 
pyked,  part,  adj.,  adorned  : 

1036.     See  pyke. 
pyle,  n  ,  castle,  large  build- 
ing :   6  86.    O.  E.  pll. 
Pymalyon,  pr.  n. :  750. 
pynakled,  part.  adj. :   207. 

O.  F.  n.  pinacle. 
pyne,  n.,  pain,    330  ;  don 

pyne,    exert    themsehues, 

511.    O.  E.  pin. 
pyony,      n. ,      peony.       pi. 

pyonys,      44.        O.      F. 

pioine. 
pyte,  n.,  pity,  355  ;  grief, 

1206:      pyty>      1206. 

O.  F.  pite. 
pytosly,  adv.,  compassion- 
ately, 370;  pitifully,  798: 
pitously,     798.      O.     F. 
pitos  4"  ly- 

Q 

quat,  see  quo. 

quayle,   n.,   quail:    1085. 

O.  F.  quaille. 
quelle,  v.  tr.,  put  to  death  -. 

inf.  799.    O.  E.  cwellan. 
queme,  adj.,  fair:    wjf)- 

Cf.      O.      E.      cweman, 

gecweme. 


quen,  n.,  queen,  415,  448, 
474,  etc. ;  the  Virgin 
Mary,  432,  433,  444, 
456  :  quene,  415,  423, 
456,  468,  781,  784, 
1 147.    O.  E.  cvven. 

quen,  cori].,nx}hen,  40,  etc. ; 
causal,  332,  347;  condi- 
tional, 335:  quen,  40, 
79,  etc.  — 14  times; 
when,  332,  335,  347, 
405,  411,  707,  820, 
1 1 62.    O.  E.  hwsenne. 

quere,  ivhere ;  interrog. 
adv.,  65,  etc.;  rel.  conj., 
68,  376  ;  quere  ^at,  65  : 
where,  68,  617.  O.  E. 
hwSr. 

queresoeuer,  conj. ,  nvhere- 
soe'ver :   7 . 

query,  n.,  complaint:  803. 
N.  E.  D.  suggests  adap- 
tation of  Lat.  queri. 

quej^ersoeuer,  adv., 

nv hether  :  606.  See 
wheher. 

quo,  interr.  pron.,  nvho: 
427,  678,  747.  Neut. 
quat,  186,  755,  771  ; 
what,    249,     336,     463, 

475>    479.    794-      O-   E. 
hwa,  hwast. 
quo,  rel.    pron.,  thou  nvho, 
344 ;  he  nxjho,  709  ;  one 


172 


^loggar^ 


nioho,    693  ;     w.     prep., 

quom,    45  3  \    wham    (= 

O.    E.    hwSm  ?),     131  ; 

neut.  qiiat  so,  nvhate'ver, 

566. 
quod,  pret.  v.,   tr.,   quoth: 

I  sg.  241,  279,  325,  etc.; 

3     sg.     569,    758,^781. 

O.  E.  cwet'an,  cwasj'. 
quoynt,  adj.,   ivise  :    889. 

O.  F.  cointe. 
quy,  see  why. 
quyke,  adj. ,  lifelike  :  1 1 79. 

O.  E.  cwic. 
quyt,  adj.,   ivhite  ;    as  n., 

842:   207,    loii,  1150; 

quyte,  220,   844,   1137  j 

qwyte,  11 02;  whyt,  163, 

178,   197,  1133  >  whyte, 

219.    O.  E.  hwit. 
quyte,     v.      tr. ,     re^ivard: 

pres.    2   sg.    quytej,  595. 

O.  F.  quiter. 

R 

raas,  see  resse. 

rand,  n.,  border  of  a  stream : 
pi.  randej,  105.  O.  E. 
rand. 

rapely,  adv.,  hastily,  quick- 
ly. 363,  1168.  O.  N. 
hrapaliga. 

rasch,  adj.,  eager:  ii6j. 
Cf.  M.  Dutch,  rasch. 


rauj^e,  n.,  sorroiv  :  858. 
O.  N.  hyrg«. 

raue,  v.  intr.,  err  :  inf. 
665.      Cf.  O.  N.  rafa. 

raue,  v.  intr.,  rave:  pres. 
subj.  I  sg.  raue,  363. 
O.  F.  raver. 

rauyste,  part,  adj.,  enrap- 
tured: 1088.  F.  raviss-, 
stem  of  ravir. 

rawe,  n.,  ro^vu,  545;  hedge, 
105  :  pi.  rawej,  105. 
O.  E.  raw. 

raxle,  v.  intr.,  stretch  one- 
self after  sleep:  pret.  i  sg. 
raxled,  1 1 74.  Freq.  form 
of  rax  <  O.  E.  raxan. 

ray,  n. :  160.    O.  F.  rai. 

rayke,  v.  intr.,  run,  move 
fornvard:  pres.  part,  ray- 
kande,  112.    O.  N.  reika. 

rayse,  v.  tr.,  raise  from 
the  dead:  inf.  305.  O.  N. 
reisa. 

raysoun,  see  resoun. 

rebuke,  v. :  imp.  sg.  367. 
O.  F.  rebouquer. 

recen,  v.  tr.,  tell  in  order, 
=  ennarabit.  Is.  53.  8: 
inf.  827.  O.  E.  [gejrece- 
nian. 

reche,  v.  intr.,  care:  pres. 
I  sg.  rech,  333.  O.  E. 
reccan. 


6los(0ar^ 


173 


recorde,  n. ,  attestation,nvzt 
ness:   831.    O.  F.  record 

red,  adj.:  rede,  27.  O.  E 
read.  At  1 1 1 1  'a  con- 
ventional (chiefly  poetic) 
epithet  of  gold'  (A^.  E.  D. 
s.  V.  3,  citing  examples 
from  C^dmon  to  Scott, 
all  Northern  after  1200). 

rede,  v.  tr.,  advise,  7435 
read,  709  :  inf.  709  ; 
pres.  i^sg.  rede,  743. 
O.  E.  rasdan. 

redy,  adj.,  nvilling  :  591. 
O.    E.    rSde    or    gersede 

refete,   v.   tr.,  ///,  satisfy. 

inf.  8  8.      O.  F.  refeter. 
reflayr,  n.,  fragrance  -.  46. 

O.  F.  re  +  flair. 
reget,    v.    tr.,    reproduce  : 

inf.  1064.      re  4-  gete. 
regioun,  n. :  11 78.     O.  F. 

region. 
regne,  n.,   kingdom  :  501  ; 

rengne,  692.  O.  F.  regne. 
regretted, part,  adj., ^rzVz/^^ 

for:  243.  O.  F.  regretter. 
relate,  n.,  accoutrement  or 

accessory    of  royalty:    pi. 

reiatej,  770.  O.  F.  reiaute. 
reken,    adj.,     li'vely,     92  ; 

fresh,   radiant,    5,    906. 

O.  E.  recen. 


reles,  n.,  intermission:  956. 
O.  F.  reles. 

relusaunt,  adj. ,  relucent,  re- 
flecting light:  ic^().  O.  F. 
reluisant. 

reme,  n.,  realm:  448,  735. 
O.  F.  reaume. 

reme,  v.  intr.,  cry  out:  inf. 
1 1 81 5  pres.  2  pi.  remen, 
858.      O.  E.  hreman. 

remnaunt,  n.,  rest,  remain- 
ing distance:  1160.  O.  F. 
remenant. 

remorde,  part,  adj.,  stricken 
'with  remorse:  364.  O.  F. 
remordre. 

rem  we,  v.  tr.,  remove,  OtiT, 
intr. ,  separated  from,  899: 
inf.  427,  899.  O.F.  Re- 
mover; cf.  later  removoir. 

rende,  v.  Xx.,tear:  pret.  part, 
rent:  806.    O.  E.  rendan. 

rengne,  see  regne. 

renoun,  n.,  renoivn:  986, 
1 182.      O.  F.  renoun. 

renowle,  v.  tr. ,  rene^w :  pres. 
3  pi.  renowlej,  1080. 
O.  F.  renoveler. 

reparde,  part.  adj.  shut  off, 
kept  back:  611.  O.  E. 
*pearrian? 

repayre,  v.  intr.,  come  to- 
gether: inf.  1028.  O.  F. 
repairer. 


174 


^lo00ar^ 


repente,  impers.  v. ;  if  hym 

repente,  if  he  repents :  pres. 

subj.   3  sg.    662.      O.  F. 

repentir. 
repreny,  v.tr.,  reprove:  inf. 

544.      O.    F.     reprehen- 

dre. 
requeste,  n. :  281.     O.  F. 

requeste. 
rere,v.  intr.,  leap,  i6o;tr., 

part,      as     adj.,     roused, 

aiuake,    591  :  inf.    i6o; 

pret.  part,  rert,  591.  O.  E. 

rSran. 
rescoghe,  n.,  rescue  ;  mat^ 

rescoghe,   delivers:   610. 

Cf.  O.  F.  rescourre. 
reset,   n.,   refuge:     1067. 

O.  F.  recet. 
resonabele,    adj.  :      523. 

O.  F.  resonnable. 
resoun,  n.,  ground,  reason, 

1268;  ivords,  talk,  716; 

exercise  of  reason,  5  2  •,fair 

consideration,    665:    ray- 

soun,  2685  pi.   resounej, 

716.      O.  F.  resun. 
respecte,  n. ;  in  respecte  of, 

in  comparison  nvith,  84. 

O.  F.  respect. 
respyt,    n.,    respite:    644. 

O.  F.  respit. 
resse,  n.,   headlong  haste, 

1167;  strong  cu  rrent,  874: 


raas,  1 167  (cf.  n.).   O.  E. 

raes;  O.  N.  ras. 
rest,  v., stand,  =  stabit  (Ps. 

23.  3):  679.  O.  F.  rester. 
restay,  v.  intr.,  pause,  437; 

restrain,  J 1 6,  11 68:  inf. 

437;  pres.  3  pi.  restayed, 

716;  pret.  part,  restayed, 

1 168.      O.  F.  restaier. 
reste,  n.,  rest,  10875  'Cessa- 
tion, 858.      O.  F.  rest. 
restored,  part,  adj.:  659. 
retrete,  v.   tr.,   reproduce: 

inf.  92.     O.  F.  retreter. 
reue,  n.,    reeve,  stenvard: 

542.      O.  E.   [ge]refa. 
reuer,  n.,  river,  105;  river 

of  the  vjater  of  life,  1055: 

pi.  reuerej,  105.      O.  F. 

riviere, 
rewarde,  n. :  604.      O.  F. 

rewarde. 
rewfuUy,    adv.,     piteously: 

1 1 81.      O.  E.  hreow    + 

fid  +  ly. 
rode,  n.,  cross:  646,   705, 

806.      O.  E.  rod. 
roghe,    adj.,    rough:    646. 

O.  E.  ruh. 
rokke,  n.,rock:  pi.  rokkej, 

68.      O.  F.  roc. 
ronk,  adj.,  violent,    1167; 

abundant,    844.      O.    E. 

ranc. 


^Io0fifar^ 


175 


rose,  n. :  269,  906.      O.  E. 

rose;   O.  F.  rose. 
rot, n., decay:  26.  M.D.  rot. 
rote,  n.,   root:  420.      Late 

O.  E.  rot;   O.  N.  rot. 
rote,  V.   intr.,    decay:  inf. 

958.     O    E.  rotian. 
rounde,  adj.,  spherical:  5, 

657?  73^-      O-  ^-  rond. 

rourde,  n.,  confusion  of 
'voices,  112.   O.  E.  reord. 

route,  n.,  band,  company: 
926.      O.  F.  route. 

rownande,  part,  adj.,  mur- 
muring :  112.  O.  E. 
runian. 

ruful,  adj.,  sorronvful:  916. 
O.  F.  rue  +  ful. 

runne,  v.  intr.,  run,  flo'vj, 
646,  874,  1055;  run  up, 
accumulate,  523;  to  rot 
runne,  fallen  into  decay, 
26:  pret.  3  sg.  ran,  646, 
1055;  pret.  part,  runnen, 
874;  runne,  26,  523. 
O.  E.  (rime),  iernan. 

ryal,  adj.,  royal,  919  ;  of 
royal  splendor,  160,  191; 
excellent,  great,  193:  ry- 
alle,  191,  919  (both  in 
rime).      O.  F.  real. 

ryally,  adv.,  nuith  royal 
splendor:  987.  O.  F. 
real  +  ly- 


rybe,  n.,  r«/^:  1007.  O.  F. 
nibi. 

ryche,  n. ,  kingdom  :  601, 
722.      O.  E.  rice. 

ryche,  adj.,  abounding, 
10 ^,6^6; sumptuous,  993, 
1036  ;  luxuriant,  906  ; 
splendid,  68,  770,  919, 
1097,  1182:  riche,  993; 
rych,  68,  105,  1036, 
1 182.      O.  E.  rice. 

ryche  J,  n. ,  ivealth:  26. 
O.  F.  richesse. 

ryf,  adj.,  plentiful,  abun- 
dant: 770,  844.  O.  E. 
rife. 

ryjt,  n.,  right  (as  dis- 
tinguished from  wrong), 
496,  6x7.;  justice,  desert, 
591,  665,  684,  696,  708, 
720  ;  just  claim,  580, 
1 1 96;  priojilege,  703  : 
ry^te,  696,  708.  O.  E. 
riht. 

ryjt,  adv.  ,just,  exactly  (often 
a  mere  intensive):  298, 
461,  520,  673, 723, 885, 
1093,  1169.  O.  E. 
rihte. 

ryjte,  adj.,  yttj/:   672. 

ryjtwys,  adj.,  righteous, 
739;  used  of  one  whose 
sins  are  partly  or  wholly 
offset     by    good     works, 


176 


(S\o&&dit^ 


675,  685,  697;  absol. 
689.      O.  E.  rihtwls. 

ryjtwysly,  adv.,  aright: 
709.      O.  E.  rihtwisllce. 

ryse,  v.  intr.,  rise  to  one'' s 
feet,  191,  437  ;  rise  from 
sleep,  506;  of  the  sun 
and  moon,  519,  1093; 
become,  appear,  103:  inf. 
103;  rys,  1093;  pres.  3 
sg.  rysej,  191  ;  pret.  3 
sg.  ros,  437,  506,  519. 
O.  E.  rlsan. 


sadde,  adj.,  sober,  demure: 

887;  sade,  211.      O.  E. 

saed. 
sade,  see  saye. 
saf,    adj.,    redeemed:   672, 

684,    720  ;    saue,    696. 

O.  F.  sauf. 
saffer,  n.,    sapphire:    118, 

1002.      O.  F.  safir. 
saghe,   n.,    ivord,    saying, 

278;  recital,  226:  sawej, 

278.      O.  E.  sagu. 
sajt,  n.,  reconciliation;  sette 

sajt,   reconcile:  52;  sa^te, 

1 20 1.      O.  E.  saht. 
sake,  n.,  guilt:  800,  940. 

O.  E.  sacu. 
sakerfyse,     n.,    sacrifice  : 

1064.      O.  F.  sacrifice. 


Salamon,  pr.  n.,  Solomon: 
689. 

same,  adj.:  1099,  11 01. 
O.  N.  samrj  cf.  O.  E. 
adv.  same. 

samen,  adv.,  together:  518. 
O.  E.  samen ;  O.  N. 
saman. 

sample,  n.,  parable:  499. 
O.  F.  essample. 

sange,  n.,  see  songe. 

sardonyse,  n.,  sardonyx: 
1006.      F.  sardonyx. 

Sauter,  pr.n. ,  P.f<3//^r:  593, 
677,  698.    O.  F.  sautier. 

saue,  V.  tr. ,  insure  salta- 
tion to:  inf.  674;  pres.  3sg. 
sauej,  666.    O.  F.  sauver. 

sauerly,  adj.,  saveet:  226. 
O.  F.  savor  +  ly. 

savre,  see  saghe. 

sa'wle,  n.,  soul:  461;  saule, 
845.      O.  E.  savpel. 

say,  v.  tr.,  speak,  297;  de- 
clare, 35  tell,  226,  391  j 
hat  is  to  say,  1041 ;  I  dar 
say,  1089:  inf.  226,  256, 
258,  391,  1041,  1089; 
saye,  482;  pres.  1  sg.  saye, 
3;  2  sg.  says,  295,  297, 
409;sayj,  6i55sayt3,  315, 
501;  3sg.  says,  693,  867; 
sayt?,  457,  697;sat9,  677; 
pret.    I    sg.   sayde,    589, 


^Io00ar^ 


177 


962;  sayd,  1175;  sade, 
784;    3   sg.    sayde,    289, 

338,  398,  433.494,  515, 
522,  532,  557,  602,  717, 
722,  736,  821,  965;  3  pi. 
sayden,  534,  550;  pret. 
part,  sayd,  593.  O.  E. 
secgan. 

saynt,  n.,  saint:  457,  818; 
elders  about  the  throne  in 
the  Ne-Tv  Jerusalem,  835: 
sant,  788  ;  pi.  sayntej, 
835.      O.  F.  saint. 

scale,  n.,  scale,  surface: 
1005.  Northern  form  of 
O.  E.  scealu. 

schadov7e,  v.  tr.,  shade  : 
pret.  3  pi.  schadowed,  42. 
O.  E.  scheadwian. 

schaft,  n.,  beam  of  light: 
982.      O.  E.  sceaft. 

schal,  v.,  ought,  153,  314, 
634,  903.924;^«-'^  3^8, 
3^9.  332,  344,  424,  668, 
701;  be  destined  to,  40  5 , 
416,  449,  570,  588,  675, 
676,  686,  702,  728,  956, 
959,  973,  ir59;  be  re- 
soiued  to,  265,  298,  315, 

348, 356, 564, 569,  976, 

1 1 62  J  cond.  aux.  186, 
930,  1072;  fut.  aux.  976: 
pres.  I  sg.  schal,  328,329, 
569,  976;  2  sg.  schalte, 


564;  3  sg.  schal,  3 32, 348, 
424,449,  570,  675,  676, 
678,  686;  3  pi.  schal,  416, 
588,  702,  959;  pres.  subj. 
I  sg.  schal,  973;  2  sg. 
265,  298,  315,  344,  405, 
701;  3  sg.  356;  pret.  I 
sg.  schulde,  153,  903, 
Il62;3Sg.  314,634,930, 
1072,  1159;  3  pi.  668, 
924  ;  subj.  3  sg.  186. 
O.  E.  sceal,  scheolde  (inf. 
sculan). 

scharpe,  2id\ .,  sharply :%j j . 
O.   E.  scearpe. 

schede,  v.  tr.,  shed,  741; 
inti.,  fall,  41 1 :  inf.  41 1 ; 
pret.  3  sg.  schede,  741. 
O.  E.  sceadan. 

schende,  v.  tr.,  destroy  : 
pret.  part,  schente,  668. 
O.  E.  scendan. 

schene,  adj.,  shining,  fair, 
42,80,  203,  1145;  absol., 
of  the  Pearl,  166,  965. 
O.  E.  scene. 

sch&'p,n.., sheep:  801.  O.  E. 
sceap. 

schere,  v.  tr. ,  divide,  165, 
213;  intr. ,  run  s-iviftly  by 
(of  water),  107:  inf.  165; 
pres.  3  sg.  scherej,  107; 
pret.  part.  asadj.,schorne, 
213.      O.  E.  sceran. 


178 


^lo0s(at^ 


sche^^e,  v.  tr.,  shoiu:  pres. 

3     sg.     schewej,      12  lo; 

pret.  3  sg.  scheued,  692. 

O.  E.  sceawian. 
scho,  see  he. 
schon,  see  schyn. 
schore,     n.,     shore,    bank, 

107,    230;  including  the 

hills  or    cliffs  above    the 

bank,  166.    Cf.  M.  Du., 

M.  L.  G.  schore. 
schote,  V.  intr.,  shoot,  dart: 

pret.    3     pi.    schot,     58. 

O.  E.  sceotan. 
schowte,    V.    intr.,    shout: 

pret.  3  sg.  schowted,  877. 

Etym.  unknown, 
schrylle,  adv.,  intensely  (of 

light)  :    80.      Cf.   L.    G. 

schrell. 
schylde,  v.  tx.,  forbid:  inf. 

965.    O.  E.  scildan. 
schyldere,  n.,  shoulder:  pi. 

schylderej,    214.      O.    E. 

sculder. 
schym,  adj.,  bright:    1077. 

Cf.  O.  E.  n.  scima. 
schymerynge,   n.,   bright- 
ness,    shimmering  :      80. 

Vb.  n.  <  O.  E.  scimrian. 
schyne,    v.     intr.,     shine  : 

pres.    3   sg.   schynej,   27, 

1074;  pret.  3  sg.  schon, 

166,  213,  982,  1018  ;    3 


pi.    schon,    1057.     O.  E. 
sclnan. 

schyr,  adj.,  bright  :  28, 
213,  284;  schyre,  42. 
O.  E.  scir. 

schyrrer,  comp.  adv., 
brighter  :  982.  O.  E. 
scire. 

sclade,  see  slade. 
j  scrypture,     n.,     ^writing  : 
i       1039.    O.  F.  escripture. 

se,  V.  intr.,  look,  45  ;  tr., 
see,  146,  etc.;  percei've, 
111,  385.  689,  787,  914: 
inf.  96,  146,  296,  675, 
914,  964,  969;  sene  (for 
rime),  45;  pres.  i  sg.  se, 
377,  385?  932  (subj.  ?); 
3sg.  sej,  302  ;  2  pi.  syje, 
308;  pret.  I  sg.  sej,  158, 
175,  200,  1155  ;  seghe, 
867  j  syje,  986,  1033  ; 
sa^,  1021,  1147  ;  3  sg. 
syj,  788,  836,  985,1032; 
sej,  531  ;  segh,  790;  saj, 
689  ;  2  pi.  sej,  698  j 
pret.  part,  sene,  194,  787, 
1 143  ;  sen,  164.  O.  E. 
seon. 

sech,  V.  tr. ,  seek,  354,  730: 
inf.  354;  pret.  3  sg.  sojte, 
730.    O.  E.  secean. 

secounde,  adj.,  second  : 
652,  1002.  O.  F.  second. 


^Io00ar^ 


179 


sede,  n.,  seed:  34.  O.  E. 
sSd. 

selden,  adv.,  seldom  :  380. 
O.  F.  seldan. 

self,  intens.  pron.,  'very, 
actual,  203,  446,  1076  j 
as  n. ,  with  gen.  1054; 
myself,  414,  1175  5  J'y- 
self,  298,  313,  473,  779; 
hymself,  680,  808,  811, 
8i2j  myseluen,  52  ;  J^y- 
seluen,  341.     O.  E.  self. 

selle,  V.  tr.,  sell:  pret.  3 
sg.  solde,  731.  O.  E. 
sellan. 

sely,  adj.,  blessed:  659. 
O.  E.  sselig. 

semblaunt,  n., countenance: 
211  ;  sembelaaTit,  1143. 
O.  F.  semblant. 

seme,  adj.,  becoming,  mod- 
est: 190,  1 1 15.  O.  N. 
saemr. 

seme,  v.  intr.,  be  fitting  : 
pret.  3  sg.  semed,  760. 
O.  N.  saema. 

semly,  adj.,  seemly,  fair: 

34,     45,     789-      O.     N. 

saemiligr. 
sende,  v.   tr. ,   send:    pres. 

subj.    3   sg.    sende,    130. 

O.  E.  sendan. 
sengeley,  adv.,  alone:    8. 

O.  F.  sengle  -\-  ly. 


serlype^,  adv.  as  adj.,  sep- 
arate: 994.  O.  N.  ser  + 
O.  E.  lypja  (hllep  +  ig). 

s&Tmonr\.,n.,  saying:  11 85. 
O.  F.  sermun. 

sertayn,  adv.,  iW^^^:  685. 
O.  F.  certain. 

seruaunt,  n.,  ser'vant  : 
699.    O.  F.  servant. 

serue,  v.  intr.,  sernje,  553; 
wvail,  profit,  331  :  pres. 
3  sg.  seruej,  331;  pret. 
part,  serued,  553.  O.  F. 
servir. 

sesed,  part,  adj.,  put  in  pos- 
session, established:  417. 
O.  F.  seisir. 

sete,  V.  tr.,  set,  place,  222, 
255,  etc.;  build,  1062  5 
esteem,  regard,  8,  307  ; 
set  in  vayn,  set  at  nought, 
8i  i;  reconcile,  52,  1201  : 
inf.  1201  ;  pres.  2  pi. 
sett  en,  307  ;  pret.  i  sg. 
sette,  8  ;  3  sg.  set,  255, 
81 1  j  sette,  52  ;  imp.  sg. 
set,  545  ;  pret.  part, 
sette,  222,  838  ;  set, 
1062.    O.  E.  settan. 

sete,  see  sitte. 

seuen,  num.:  838,  11 11. 
O.  E.  seofon. 

seuenjpe,  adj. :  loio.  O.  E. 
seofol>a. 


i8o 


^lo00ar^ 


sexte,  adj.:   1007.   O.    E. 

siexta. 
seysoun,  n.,  season  of  year  : 

39.    O.  F.  seison. 
sir,   n. :   257,   439.    O.    F. 

sire, 
sitte,  V.   intr. ,  sit  :  pret.  3 

sg.  sete,  161  ;  set,  10545 

3  pi.   sete,    835.     O.    E. 

sittan,  saet,  sjeton. 
skyfte,    V.    tr.,    apportion: 

inf.  569.    Northern  form 

of  O.  E.  sciftan. 
skyl,  n.,  judgment,  reason, 

312;       reasoning,      5  4 ; 

justice,  674  :  skylle,  674; 

pi.      skyllej,      54.        Cf. 

M.  L.  G.  Scheie,   O.  N. 

skil. 
slade,     n.,     dale  :      141  ; 

sclade,  1 148.    O.  E.  slaed. 
slajt,   n.,  slaughter  :   801. 

O.  E.  slieht.  Cf.  slepyng- 

slajte. 
slake,  V.  intr.,  fall  aivay, 

cease  :  inf.    942.     O.    E. 

sleacian  ;  sleccan. 
slayn,  see  sly^e. 
slente,  n.,  slope:   141.    Cf. 

Swed.  V.  slinta. 
slepe,  V.   intr.,  sleep:  pres. 

3   pi.  slepe,    115.    O.  E. 

sljepan. 
Slepyng-slajte,    n.,    stroke 


or  'visitation  of  deep  sleep 

(connoting  a  dream):  59. 

O.  E.  slieht. 
slide,  V.   intr.,  slide,  sink  : 

pret.  I  sg.  slod,  59.  O.  E. 

slidan. 
slyje,    V.    tr.,    slay:     pret. 

part,  slayn,    805.    O.  E. 

slean,  slegen. 
sly^t,  adj.,  slight:  190.   Cf. 

M.  Du.  slieht,  O.  H.  G. 

sleht. 
smal,  slender,  delicate,   6, 

190  j  small,   90  :  smale, 

90.    O.  E.  smash 
smelle,    n.,    odor:     1122. 

Etym.  obscure, 
smoj'e,    adj.,     smooth:     6, 

190.    O.  E.  smoj'e. 
so,    adv.,    2,    5,    6,    1084, 

1088,  1133,    1143,  etc.; 

thus,  97,  338,  461,  467, 

518,     522,    523,    1035, 

1 1 1 6  ;    as    an    intensive, 

74,  190,  259,  474,  646, 

754,  756,  774,  775,  810, 
832,  903,  1005,  1 150, 
1 1 8  3  ;  in  asseveration, 
487,  850  ;  correl.  with 
<as',  20,  95,  166,  175, 
803,  948,  987,  1081; 
correl.  with  'if,  1187; 
quat  so,  566,  see  quo, 
rel.    O.  E.  swa. 


^losfgar^ 


i8i 


soberly,     adv.,     gravely: 

256. 
sobre,  adj.,  earnest,  gra've: 

391,  532.      O.  F.  sobre. 
sodanly,    adv.,    suddenly  -. 

1095,      1098  ;      sodenly, 

1 178.    O.  F.  sodain  +  ly. 
soffer,  see  suffer. 
so^t,    pret.     part.,    sighed, 

murmured:   518.     O.  E. 

swogan. 
sojte,  see  sech. 
solace,  n.,^'(y:  130.    O.  F. 

solas. 
sommoun,  n.,  call,  order  -. 

1098.      Cf.     O.     F.     V. 

somoner.    See  sumoun. 
sonde,     n.,    sending-forth: 

943.    O.  E.  sond. 
sone,    adv.,     straight-way, 

537.  "97>  early,  1078; 

as  sone  as,  626.      O.  E. 

s5na. 
songe,    n.,     song,     music : 

882,  888,  891  ;sange,  19. 

O.  E.  song. 
Sonne,  see  sunne. 
sore,     n.,     sorronu  :     130. 

O.  E.  sar. 
sore,    adv.,     sorely,    hard: 

550  ;   sor,    940.      O.    E. 

sare. 
sorje,     n.,     sorroiv:    352; 

sorj,  663.      O.  E.  sorg. 


sorquydry^e,     n.,    pride: 

309       O.  F.  surquiderie. 
soth,  adj., /r«^:  482;  11  85. 

As  n. ,  truth :  soj'e,   653. 

O.  E.  soK 
sothfol,    adj.,    true  :    498. 

O.  E.  soJ>  +  ful. 
sotyle,     adj.,    rare,   thin  : 

1050.      O.  F.  soutil. 
soun,  n.,  tone  o/njoice:  532. 

O.  F.  soun. 
sounande,   part,    adj.,    re- 
sounding:   883.      O.     F. 

suner. 
space,  n. ,   dista?ice,  1030; 

moment,    438;    in   space, 

into     space,     aloft,     61. 

O.  F.  espace. 
sparre,  v.   intr.,  rush  for- 

ivard:  pret.  i  sg.  sparred, 

1 169.      O.  F.  esparer. 
spece,  see  spyce. 
speche,  n.,  utterance f  oral 

ortvrttten:  37,  235,  400, 

471,    793»   113^;    spech, 

704.     O.  E.  spaec. 
special,      adj.,      peculiar, 

rare:  235;  specyal,  938. 

O.  F.  special. 
spede,   V.    tr.,   help:    pres. 

subj.    3   sg.    spede,    487. 

O.  E.  spedan. 
speke,  V.  intr.,  speah,  4385 

tr.,    291,    etc.  5  express, 


l82 


^loeifiJar^ 


594:  pres.  3  sg.  spekej, 
594;  pres.  subj.  i  sg. 
speke,  422;  pret.  3  sg. 
speke,  438  ;  spakk  (for 
rime),  938;  pret.  part, 
spoken,  291.  O.  E. 
sprecan,  later  specan. 

spelle,  V.  intr.,  tell,  dis- 
course: pres.  I  sg.  spelle, 
793.      O.  E.  spellian. 

spelle,  n.,  speech  :  363. 
O.  E.  spel. 

spende,  v.  tr.,  spend 
(speche),  utter:  pret.  part, 
spent,  1 1 32.  O.  E. 
spendan. 

spenne,  v.  tr.,  clasp,  49; 
pret.  part,  as  adj.,  en- 
closed, 53  ;  pret.  I  sg. 
spenn(e)d,  49;  pret.  part, 
spenned,  53.  O.  N. 
spenna. 

spirii||e.,  V.  intr.,  spring  (of 
plants):  pret.  su^.  3  pi. 
sporine,  35.  O.  E.  spin- 
nan. 

sporne,  v.  intr. ,  rush  head- 
long :  ■  i||s.  part,  spor- 
naiide,  ^63.  O.  E. 
speornan. 

spot,  n.,  stain,  blemish,  12, 
24,  36,  48,  60;  guilt, 
764,  945,  1068;  place, 
i3j  25»  37>  49 J  fro  spot, 


from  the  spot,  forth: 
spote,  1 3  ;  spotte,  24, 
36;  pi.  spottej,  945.  Cf. 
O.  Flem.  spotte  ;  O.  N. 
spotti  ;   O.  E.  splot. 

spotlej,  adj. :  856. 

spotty,  adj.,  spotted:  1070. 
See  spot. 

sprede,  v.  intr.,  be  over- 
spread, co'vered:  inf.  25. 
O.  E.  sprSdan. 

spryng,  v.  intr.,  13,  61; 
of  plants,  35  ;  be  born, 
453:  inf.  453;  pret.  3  sg. 
sprang,  6 1 ;  sprange,  1 3 } 
pres.  part,  spryngande, 
35.      O.  E.  springan. 

spyce,  n.,  kind,  person,  one, 
^3  55  938)  spice-bearing 
plants,  25,  35  :  spece, 
235  ;  pi.  spycej,  35  ; 
spysej,  25.  O.  F.  espice, 
espece. 

spyryt,  n.  :  61.  O.  F. 
espirit. 

spyt,  n.,  outrage:  11 38. 
Aphetic  form  of  O.  F. 
despit. 

stable,  adj.,  steady  :  597. 
O.  F.  stable. 

stable,  V.  intr.,  stand  firm  : 
inf.  683.  O.  F.  estab- 
lir. 

stage,     n.,     rank,     degree 


^los^s^ar^ 


183 


of  ad=vancement  :  410. 
O.  F.  estage. 

stale,  n.,  step  (as  of  stairs): 
1002.     O.  E.  staela. 

Stalke,  V.  intr.,  step  cau- 
tiously :  pret.  I  sg. 
stalked,  152.  O.  E.  stasl- 
can. 

Stalle,  V.  tr.,  arrest,  stop: 
inf.  188.    O.  E.  steallian. 

stande,  v.  intr.,  113,  etc.; 
reflex.,  867;  w.  pred.  adj., 
182,  184,  515,  533,  547, 
1023,  1085  ;  abide,  hold 
out,  597:  inf.  514,  867; 
pres.  3  sg.  standej,  547  ; 

2  pi.  stande,  515;  stonde, 
533;  pret.  I  sg.  stod,  182, 
184,  1085  ;  3  sg.  stod, 
597,  1023  ;  stode,   740  ; 

3  pi.  stonden,  113;  pret. 
part,  standen,  519,  1148. 
O.  E.  standan. 

stare,  v.  intr.,  gaze,  149  ; 
glitter,  116  :  inf.  149  ; 
pres.  3  pi.  staren,  116. 
O.  E.  starian. 

start,  V.  intr.,  plunge  sud- 
denly-.  inf.  1 1 59,  1 162. 
'Prob.  <  O.  E.  styrtan' 
{Cent.  Diet.). Cf.U.Bu., 
M.  L.  G.  storten,  etc. 

stayre,  adj.,  steep  -.  1022. 
Cf  O.  E.  staeger. 


stele,  V.  intr.,  steal,  creep: 
inf.  20.    O.  E.  stelan. 

step,  n.,  footstep  :  683. 
O.  E.  staspa. 

st  epe ,  adj . ,  glittering :  113. 
O.  E.  steap. 

stere,  v.  tv.,  guide,  control, 
623  j  present  by  control, 
w.  inf.,  1159  :  inf.  623, 
1 159.    O.  E.  steoran. 

stern,  n. ,  star:  pi.  sternej, 
115.    O.  N.  stjarna. 

steuen,  n.,  •voice,  chorus  of 
•voices,  1 1 25  5  at  steuen, 
by  speaking,  calling,  188. 
O.  E.  stefn. 

stok,  n.,  post;  by  stok  ober 
St  on,  anywhere,  380. 
O.  E.  stoc. 

stoken,  part,  adj.,  barred, 
closed,  =  claudentur 
(Apoc.  21.  25)  :  1065. 
Cf.  O.  L.  G.  stecan; 
O.  H.  G.  stechan. 

ston,  n.,  stone,  822;  pebble, 
113;  precious  stone,  206, 
994,  997,  1006;  by  stok 
oberston,  380:  pi.  stonej, 
ii3>  997-    O-  E.  Stan. 

stonge,  see  stynge. 

store,  n. ,  large  number: 
847.    O.  F.  estore. 

stote,  V.  intr.,  stumble:  inf. 
149.    Cf.  Du.  stooten. 


1 84 


^losififar^ 


stounde,  n.,  time,  season  : 

20,  659.    O.  E.  stund. 
stout,    adj.,    strong,    779  ; 

substantial,  935  :   stoute, 

935.    O.  F.  stout, 
strange,  adj. :   175.    O.  F. 

estrange, 
strate,  see  strete. 
stray,  adv.,  out  of  the  right 

course:   179.    Cf.  astraye. 
straye,  v.  intr. :  pret.  3  sg. 

strayd,      1173-        O.    F. 

estraier. 
strayn,  v.  tr.,  strain,  128; 

refl.,  exert   oneself,    551  j 

confine,     restrain,     691  : 

inf.     691  j      streny     (for 

rime),    5515    pres.    3   sg. 

straynej,     128.      O.     F. 

straindre. 
streche,    v.    intr.,  spread, 

843  ;       nualk       rapidly, 

nvalk,     971  :     inf.     843  ; 

strech,  971.    O.  E.  strec- 

can. 
street,  adj.,  straight:  691. 

O.  E.  streht. 
strem,    n.,    stream  :    125, 

1159,      1162.       O.      E. 

stream. 
stremande,      part.      adj., 

streaming     (with     light): 

115.    Cf.  noun. 
strenghj^e,     n. ,     strength. 


pressure 

128.     0 

.    E. 

strengj>u. 

streny,  see 

strayn. 

stresse,  n. 

,  anguish  : 

124. 

0.     F. 

estrecier  ; 

de- 

strece. 

strete,     n. 

,     street. 

971, 

1043,  1059  ;  =  platea 
(Apoc.  21.  21),  1025  : 
pi.  stretej,  1025  ;  strate 
(for  rime),  1043.  O.  E. 
street. 

strok,  see  stryke. 

stronde,  n.,  strand,  shore  : 
152.    O.  E.  strand. 

stronge,  adj.:  476,  531. 
O.  E.  strong. 

strot,  n.,  strife,  848;  dis- 
pute, 353.  Cf.  M.  H.  G. 
struz. 

stroj'e,  adj.,  close  ?  secure  f: 
115.    See  note. 

stryf,  n.,  strife,  248  ; 
rivalry,  848  ;  struggle, 
776.    O.  F.  estrif. 

stryke,  v.  intr.,  go,  pass, 
570,  1 125,  1 186  ;  tr., 
strike  do'wn,  11 80:  inf. 
11255  pres.  2  sg. 
strykej,  1 1 8  6  ;  3  sg. 
strykej,  570  ;  pret.  3  sg. 
strok,  1 1 80.  O.  E. 
strican. 

stryue,    v.     intr.,    siri've : 


^losfsfarp 


185 


pres.  3  pi.  stryuen,  1199- 

O.  F.  estriver. 
Styf,  zd}.,Jirm:  779.    O.  E. 

stif. 
stylle,  adj.,  quiet,  20  ;  mo- 
tionless,      182,        1085. 

O.  E.  stille. 
stylle,    adv.,    e^er  :    683. 

O.  E.  stille. 
stynge,  v.  tr.,  sting  :  pret. 

3  sg.  stonge,  179.    O.  E. 

stingan. 
stynt,  V.  intr. ,  cease  :  imp. 

2  sg.  stynst,  353.    O.  E. 
styntan. 

such,  adj.,  26,  58,  407, 
1043;  absol.,  asa  pron., 
719,  727  j  correl.  with 
'as,'  171  ;  with  'at,' 
~io99  j  such  a,  176  : 
suche,  58,  171,  719. 
O.  E,  swylc. 

sve,  v.,  follow  ;  tr.,  892  ; 
intr.,  976  :  inf.  976  ;  pres. 

3  pi.  swe,  892.    O.F.  suir. 
suffer,  V.   tr.,   554;   intr., 

940,  954:  inf.  954; 
soffer,  940 ;  pret.  part. 
sufFred,  554.  O.  F. 
souffrir,  soffrir. 
suffyse,  V.  intr.,  suffice, 
hanje  capacity  -.  inf.  135. 
O.  F.  suffis-,  part,  stem 
of  suffire. 


sulpande,  part,  adj.,  pol- 
luting :  J 16.  Origin  un- 
known. 

sum,  adj.,  some,  428  ;  ab- 
sol. as  pron.,  508  j  al  & 
sum,  584  (see  al,  and 
note)  :  pi.  summe,  508. 
O.  E.  sum. 

sumkyn,  adj.,  of  some 
kind  :  619.  See  sum, 
kynne. 

sumoun,  v.  tr.,  summon  : 
inf.  539.    O.  F.  sumoner. 

sumtyme,  adv.,  sometimes, 
620  ;  formerly,  760, 
See  sum,  tyme. 

sunne,  n.,  sun  :  28,  519, 
538,  982,  1044,  1045, 
1056,  1057,  1076;  Sonne, 
530.      O.  E.  sunne. 

sunnebeme,  n.,  sunbeam  : 
pi.  83.  O.  E.  sunnebeam. 

supplantor,  n.,  defrauder, 
^vanquisher  (the  word  is 
used  from  Jerome  down 
as  the  equivalent  of  the 
name  Jacob,  defrauder  of 
Esau  5  cf.  Godefroy  s.  v. ; 
Patr.  Lat.  221.  777,  s.  v. 
Jacob):  pi.  supplantorej, 
440.    O.  F.  sousplanteor. 

sure,  adj.,  1089  ;  as  adv., 
securely,  222.  O.  F. 
seur. 


i86 


^losfflfar^ 


sute,  n.,  similarity  of  fash- 
ion or  material  (of  appar- 
el); of  self  sute,  of  the 
•very  same  fashion,  203  ; 
in  sute,  alike  in  fashion, 
uniform,  1108.  O.  F. 
suite. 

swange,  v.  intr.,  rush?: 
pres.  part,  swangeande, 
III.    Cf.  O.  E.  swengan. 

swange,  see  swyng. 

STware,  adj.,  square:  837, 
1023.  N.,  side  of  a 
square,  1029.  O.  F. 
esquarre. 

sware,  v.  tr.,  ansiver  : 
inf.  240.      O.  N.  svara. 

swe,  see  sve. 

sv7efte,  see  swyft. 

swelt,  V.  intr.,  die:  pret.  3 
sg.  swalt,  816  ;  subj.  i 
sg.  swalte,  1 160-  O.  E. 
sweltan. 

sweng,  n.,  labor,  exertion: 
575.      O.  E.  sweng. 

swepe,  V.  intr.,  snveep, 
surge:  inf.  iii.  O.  E. 
*swEepan;  cf.  swapan. 

swete,  2.d].,  s'^veet,  19,  94, 
763,  829,  II22;  as  n., 
snveet  one,  240,  325. 
Adv.,  snveetly  :  iii, 
1057.    O.  E.  swete. 

swete,  V.  intr.,  siveat,  toil: 


pret.  3  pi.  swat,  586. 
O.  E.   swEetan. 

swetely,  adv.,  ^^«//);:  717. 
O.  E.  swetlice. 

sweuen,  n.,  dream  :  62. 
O.  E.  swefen. 

swone,  n.,  sivoon:  1180. 
O.  E.  V.  swogan. 

swyft,  adj.,  sivift,  571. 
Adv.:  swefte,  354. 
O.  E.  swift. 

swymme,  v.  intr.  :  inf. 
1 1 60.      O.  E.  swimman. 

swynge,  v.  intr.,  toil,  586; 

foiu  rapidly,  run,  1059: 

pret.  3  sg.  and  pi.  swange, 

1059,  586.      O.  E.  swin- 

gan. 

swyfe,  adv.,  quickly,  354; 
siviftly,  1059.  O.  E. 
sviii>e. 

syde,  n.,  side  ;  at  sydej, 
198,  2185  downe^  sydej, 
73:  975.  "37;  pl-  sydej, 
6,  etc.      O.  E.  side. 

syjt,  n.,  eye-sight;  with  syjt, 
nvith  his  oivn  eyes,  985; 
glimpse,  'vieiM,  968;  vi- 
sion, sight,  226,  839, 
952,  1151,  1179:  pl. 
syjtej,  1 1 79.  O.  E.  (ge-) 
sihK 

syke,  V.  intr.,  sigh:  pres. 
part,     sykyng     (for    sy- 


^Io0s!ar^ 


187 


kande  ?),    1175.      O.   E. 

sican. 
syluer,  n. :   77.   O.  E.  syl- 

for. 
sympelnesse,    n.,   artless- 

ness,     simplicity  :     909. 

O.  F.  simple  +  nesse. 
symple,  adj.,  unassuming, 

artless  :     11 34.       O.    F. 

simple, 
syn,  see  sy^en. 
synge,  v.,  stng;  intr.,   94; 

tr. ,    882,   etc.:  inf.  891; 

pret.    3    pi.    songen,    94, 

882,    888;  songe,   11 24. 

O.  E.  singan. 
synglerty,  n.,   uniqueness, 

preeminence:  429.     O.  F. 

senglierte. 
syngnette,  n.,  seal:  syng- 

nettej,  838.   O.  F.  signet. 
syngulere,  adj.,  alone;  in 

syngulere,      in     a    class 

apart,  unique,  8.     O.  F. 

singulier. 
synne,  n. ,   sin:   610,   726, 

811  ;    ph    synnej,    823. 

O.  E.  syn. 
synne,  v.   intr.,   sin:  pres. 

3  sg.  synnej,  662.     O.  E. 

syngian. 
Syon,  pr.  n. -.  789,  868. 
syt,     n.,     remorse  :      663. 

O.  N.  syti. 


sytole-stryng,  n.,  string 
of  the  citole:  91.  O.  F. 
citole;  O.  E.  strenge. 

syj?,  n.,  time :  pi.  syl'ej, 
1078.    O.  E.  sIK 

syfen,  adv.,  afterivards: 
643,  1207.  Conj.,  since  : 
i3»  ^45  ;  syn,  519. 
O.  E.  siW'an. 


tabelment,  n.,  foundation- 
stone,  tier  in  the  founda- 
tion: 994.  O.  F.  *table- 
ment. 

table,  n.,  base,  tier  in  the 
foundation  :  1004.  Cf. 
Eng.  Dial.  Diet. ,  tabling, 
sb.      O.  F.  table. 

tached,  part,  adj.,  affixed-. 
464.  Aphetized  form  of 
O.  F.  atachier. 

take,  V.  tr.,  414;  recei've, 

539»  552.  559.  599.  614; 
strike,  1 1 5  8 ;  regard,  w. 
'for,'  830;  in  idiomatic 
expressions:  take  reset, 
1067  ;  tent,  387;  torn, 
585;  on  hymself,  808;  in 
theme,  944  ;  in  vayne, 
687:  inf.  539,  552,  599, 
944,  1067,  1158;  pres. 
2  pi.  take,  387  ;  3  pi. 
takej,    687  ;   pret.    3    sg. 


i88 


^lossfar^ 


toke,  414,  8085  3  pi. 
toke,  585J  imp.  sg.  take, 
559;  pret.  part,  taken, 
830  ;  tan,  614.  Late 
O.  E.  tacan. 

tale,  n.,  enumeration,  998  ; 
statement,  account,  257, 
311,  590,  865,  897. 
O.  E.  talu. 

teche,  n.,  stain,  sin  :  845. 
O.  F.  teche. 

teche,  V.  tr.,  shonvthenuay. 
imp.  sg.  tech,  936.  O.  E. 
tScan. 

telle,  V.  intr. ,  9 1 9 ;  tr. ,  1 34, 
e^y,utter,  815:  inf.  134, 
653;  pres.  2  sg.  tellej, 
9195  pret.  3  sg.  tolde, 
815.      O.  E.  tellan. 

teme,  v.  intr.,  be  attached 
to  ?:  pres.  3  pi.  temen, 
460. 

temple,  n. :  1062.  O.  F. 
temple. 

temple,  v.  tr.,  try  :  inf. 
903.    O.  F.  tempter. 

tender,  adj.:  412. 

tene,  n.,  bitterness  :  pi. 
tenej,     332.  O.     E. 

teona. 

tenoun,  n.,  joining,  con- 
struction :  993.  O.  F. 
tenon. 

tente,  n.,  heed:  387.  Aphe- 


tized  form  of  O.  E. 
atente. 

tenj^e,  adj.:  136,  1013. 
O.  E.  tien  (cardinal)  ; 
teo^a  (ordinal). 

terme,  n.,  end,  503  ;  def- 
inite ivord  or  expres- 
sion, 1053  :  pi.  termej, 
1053.  O.  F.  terme.  See 
503  n. 

theme,  n. ;  in  theme  con 
take,  took  for  his  theme, 
described  :  944.  O.  F. 
theme. 

to,  V.  tr.,  draiv,  2515  intr., 
go,  513:  pres.  3  sg.  tot^, 
5135  pret.  part,  towen, 
251.      O.  E.  teon. 

to,  prep.,  10,  20,  107,  319, 
394»  957»  etc.  ;  for,  32, 
507,  638,  719;  in  accord 
ivith,  508,  1 1 76,  1 188, 
1 1 8  9 ;  w.  verbs  of  say- 
ing,   giving,    131,    361, 

494,  515*  53^,  938,  951 J 
w.  other  verbs,  136,  326, 
500,  700,  819,  895,  936; 
w.  adj.,  I,  400,  432, 
502,  739,  894,  896, 
1202;  w.  nouns,  277, 
846 ;  w.  'put  in  pref, 
272  ;  in  various  phrases  : 
to  corte,  701  ;  to  dome, 
699  ;   to    grounde,    434, 


^Io00ar^ 


189 


1173  ;   to  hys    maryage, 

414  ;  to  hys  make,  759  ; 

to  rot,  26;  to  wonej,  32. 

O.  E.  to. 
to,     adv.,    to^joards,    347  ; 

too,   2,   492,    615,  1070, 

1076,  1118.    O.  E.  to. 
todraje,     v.     tr.,      dranju 

asunder,  destroy:   pres.   2 

sg.  todrawej,  280.    O.  E. 

todragan. 
to-euen,  v.    intr.,    become, 

or   be,    equal   to  :    1073. 

O.  E.  efnan. 
togeder,  adv. :  1121.  O.  E. 

togasdere. 
tojere,      adv.,    this  year  : 

588.     O.  E.  tSgeare. 
to^t,  adj.,  firm;    made   hit 

tojt,  confirmed  it:   522. 
token,     n.  :  742.     O.   E. 

tacen. 
torn,  n.,  leisure,  134;  toke 

more  torn,  had  longer  to 

nvait,  585.     O.  N.  tom. 
tong,    n.,     tongue:      225; 

tonge,  100,  898.     O.  E. 

tunge. 
topasye,  n.,   topaz:   1012. 

O.  F.  topase. 
tor,  n.,  rocky  peak,  tor:   pi. 

torrej,  875.      O.    E.  tor. 
tor,   n.,   toivn,    stronghold: 

966.      O.  E.  tur. 


tor,    adj.,    difficult:    1109. 

O.  N.  tor. 
torente,     part,    adj.,    torn 

up:     1 136.      O.    E.    to- 

rendan. 
toriuen,     part,    adj.,    torn 

asunder:    1197.     O.   E. 

to  +  O.  N.  rifa. 
tot  J,  see  'to',  v. 
touch,    v.    tr. :     inf.    714; 

pret.  3  sg.  towched,  898. 

O.  F.  toucher, 
toun,  n.,  tonxjn,   city:   995. 

O.  E.  tun. 
to-warde,  prep.,   67,   974, 

1 1 1  3 ;  speke  towarde  me, 

address  me,  438:  to  hym 

warde,  820.      O.   E.   to- 

weard. 
to  wen,  see  'to',  v. 
tras,     n.,     course,     avay. 

I II  3.      O.  F.  trace, 
trauayle,   n.,    toil:    1087. 

O.  F.  travail. 
trauayle,  v.    intr.,    labor: 

pret.      part.      trauayled, 

550.        O       F.      travail- 

ler. 
tra^w,  V.  tr. ,  think,  belie've: 

inf.    487;      pres.     i    sg. 

trowe,    933;   pres.    2   sg. 

trawej,  295;  pret.    i   sg. 

trawed,     282.       O.      E. 

treowian. 


igo 


(fi>losf0ar^ 


trawl'e,     n.,    faithfulness, 

justice  :    495.        O.     E. 

treowt>. 
tre,  n.,  tree:  pi.  tres,  1077. 

O.  E.  treo. 
trendele,    v.      intr. ,     roll: 

pret.  3  sg.  trendeled,  41. 

O.  E.  (a)trendlian. 
tresor,   n.,   treasure,    331; 

'value  in  money  and  jeiv- 

els,    237:    tresore,    237. 

O.  F.  tresor. 
trone,     n.,     throne:     835, 

920,  105 1,  1055;  throne, 

1 113.      O.  F.  trone. 
trone,  see  tryne. 
trowe,  see  traw. 
trwe,  adj.,  true,  421,  831; 

honest,    725  ;     steadfast, 

822,     1191  :     trw,    831. 

As  adv.  faithfully,  460. 

O.  E.  treowe. 
try,  V.   tr.,  bri?ig  to  trial: 

pret.    part,    tryed,    702, 

707.      O.  F.   trier. 
tryje,  v.   tr.,    trust:     311. 

O.  E.  treowian;  cf.  O.  N. 

adj.  tryggr. 
trylle,     v.     intr.,    quiver: 

inf.  78.      Dan.  trille. 
tryne,  v.   intr.,    w.    cogn. 

obj.,    go  :     pret.     3    pi. 

trone,  11 13.      Cf.  Swed. 

trina. 


twayne,  v.  tr.,  tear  apart: 

pret.  part,  twayned,  251. 

O.  E.  adj.  twegen. 
twelfj'e.adj. :  1015.    O.  E. 

twelfta. 
t^velue,  num.:   992,    993, 

1022,  1030,  1035,  1078, 

1079.   O.  E.  twelf. 
two,  num.:  483,  555,  674, 

949.      O.  E.  tvva. 
twyej,  adv.,  t^wice :    830. 

Cf.  M.  L.  G.  twies. 
twynne,     adj.,     tiuo ;     in 

twynne,  in  t^wain,  251; 

twynne-how,  t^wofold,  of 

tnvo  colors,   1012.    O.  E. 

[ge]  twinn. 
tyjed,     part,     adj.,     tied, 

bound :      464.       O.      E. 

tigan. 
tyjt,  V.  tr.,  de'vise,  describe: 

pret.    3   sg.   tyjte,  1053  ; 

pret.     part,     tyjt,     1013. 

Etym. 
tyjt,  V.  intr.,  dranio,  come; 

inf.  718;   pret.  part,  tyjt, 

503.    O.  E.  tyhtan. 
tyl,   prep.,   to  :   tylle,    676. 

Conj.,     till,     976;      tyl 

.    .    .    M,      548,       979. 

O.   North,  til  <  O.    N. 

til. 
tyme,    n.,    occasion,    833  ; 

course,  503.    O.  E.  tima. 


^losfiar)? 


191 


tynde,     n.,    branch  :     78. 

O.  E.  tind. 
tyne,  v.  tr. ,  lose  :  inf.  332. 

O.  N.  tyna. 
tyste,  adv.,  tight  -.  460  (see 

n.).     O.    N.    bettr;     cf. 

M.  H.  G.  dihte. 
tyt,adv.,  quickly,  728  ;  as- 

tyt     (as    possible),    645. 

O.  N.  titt. 

Jjaj,  conj.,  though  :  52,  55, 
i3+>  306,  352,  368,  381, 
388,466,  572,  574,  575, 
847,  877,  911,  1091, 
1114,  1156,  1160,  1167; 
boj,  345.    O.  E.  Jjeah. 

fare,  see  J>er. 

fat,  dem.  pron.  ;  25,  98, 
133,  etc.;  almost  =  def. 
article,  195,  228,  433  ; 
absol.,  783,  9652  :  that, 
253  ;  at?,  672  ;  pi.  \>o, 
85,  109,  138,  451,  777  ; 
absol.,  557.  O.  E.  \>xt, 
neut.  of  se  ;  pi.  \>a.. 

fat,  rel.  pron.,  indecl.,  53, 
54,  125,  etc.  ;  =  that 
'which,  327,  521  ;  they 
that,  631  :  at,  536. 
O.  E.  beet. 

fay,  see  he. 


fe,  adv.,  852,  876,  888  ; 
be  .  .  .  Jje,  600,  621  ; 
l^e  mo  be  myryer,  850. 
O.  E.  be. 

\q6.&,w.,  land, people:  483; 
cf.  arebede.    O.  E.  beod. 

fef,  n.,  thief:  273.  O.  E. 
beof. 

fen,  conj.,  than:  134,  181, 
212,  232,  480,  563,  579, 
982,  1 1 90,  1196  ;  benn, 
555.  O.  E.  banne, 
bsenne. 

fenke,  v.  intr. ,  meditate, 
370  ;  tr.,  think,  belie've, 
22,  etc.;  intend,  1151  ; 
inf.  22  ;  benk,  1 151  ; 
pret.  I  sg.  bojt,  137, 
1138,  1157;  pres.  part, 
benkande,  370.  O.  E. 
bencan. 
fenne,adv.,  then;  resump- 
tive, 599  ;  introducing 
apodosis,  326  ;  after 
benne,  straightaway,  256: 
155,  177,  etc. — 1 7  times; 
ben,  277,  398,  494,  623, 
628,  647,  938,  962,  977, 
1 123,  1147  ;  then,  589. 
O.  E.  banne,  baenne. 

fenne,  adv.,  thence  :  631, 
1094.    O.  E.  banone. 

fer,  adv.,  there,  28,  etc.  : 
then,    562  ;    introducing 


192 


<Slofif0ari? 


verb,  zi,  113,  161,  493, 
1 107  :  ber,  28,  47, 
53,  etc.  —  33  times  ; 
)>ere,  167,  194,  742,  830 
(rime),  942,  1155  (rime); 
^are,  1021  (rime);  bore, 
562  (rime).  Conj., 
ivhere,  26,  30,  41,  64, 
66,  98,  147,  154,  228, 
262,  702,  835,  838,  908, 
918,931  ;  ber  as,  ivhere, 
129,  819,  1173  !  bere, 
835,  838.   O.  E.  bSr,  bar. 

J>erate,  adv.,  thereat  :  514. 
See  ber  and  at. 

ferfore,  adv.,  therefore  -. 
1 197.    O.  E.  bSr  +  fore. 

f'erinne,  adv.,  therein  : 
447.  644,  724,  1061, 
1 1 6  8 ;  bereine,  633  (for 
rime). 

ferof,  adv.,  thereof:  99, 
161,  410,  968,  1069, 
1084. 

Jieron,  tiAv.,  thereon:  1042; 
thereof  387. 

J'eroute,  adv.,  ^without: 
930. 

J>erto,  adv.,  thereto,  664; 
also,  833  ;  therefore, 
1 140. 

I'ike,  adj.  as  adv.,  thick, 
in  great  number  :  7^. 
O.  E.  bicce. 


J^is,  dam.  pron.,  65,  260, 
297,  3155  absol.,  370, 
384,  421,  551,  555  : 
bys,  250,  286,  324,  424, 
etc.  ;  gs.  bise,  533  ;  as. 
with  prep,  bysse,  370 
(rime)  ;  pi.  bis,  42  ;  Hse, 
287,  384;  byse,  555  ; 
bese,  551.  O.  E.  b^s, 
neut.  bis. 

f>o,  see  bat,  dem. 

f'oj,  see  baj. 

f>03t,  see  benke,  bynk. 

J>ojte,  n.,  thought  ;  in  dede 
&  bojte,  524.  O.  E. 
boht. 

pole,  V.  intr.,  endure  :  inf. 
344.      O.  E.  bolian. 

f>onc,  n.,  thought,  inquiry  : 
901.      O.  E.  banc. 

}?oo,  adv., /A^h:  873.  O.  E. 
ba. 

fore,  see  ber. 

)?ose,  dem.  pron.,  those  : 
93.  O.  E.  ba,  pi.  of  se  ; 
cf.  bas,  pi.  of  bes. 

J>ou,  pers.  pron. :  ns.  bou, 
23,  242,  245,  etc.  ; 
thow,  337  ;  bow,  411  ; 
ds.  be,  266,  343,  707, 
743  ;  as.  267,  268,  274, 
341  ;  np.  je,  257,  290, 
308,  etc.  ;  dp.  yow,  913; 
ap.     (with    prep.),    287, 


^Io00ar^ 


193 


470,  etc.  O.  E.  {)u,  np. 
ge,  ap.  eow. 

]Jowsande,num.,  869,870; 
qualifying  a  collective  n., 
786  ;  as  n.,  926,  1107  : 
pi.  howsandej,  1107; 
housandej,  926.  O.  E. 
t'Gsend. 

Jrange,  adv.,  close,  con- 
stantly: 17.  O.N.  brongr. 

l're,num.,/Ar^^,  291,  1034; 
absol.  292.  O.  E.  Jreo, 
fern,  and  neut.  of  Irl. 

frete,  v.  intr.,  complain: 
inf.  561.  O.  E.  hrea- 
tian. 

fro,  adj.,  strong,  868  ;  im- 
patient, 344.    O.  N.  t>rar. 

frone,  see  trone. 

frowe,  V.  intr.,  leap:  pres. 
3  sg.  Jrovvej,  875.  O.  E. 
trawan. 

Jrych,  V.  tr. ,  thrust,  706  ; 
pierce,  1 7 ;  throng,  926; 
bring  quickly,  670  :  inf. 
17;  pret.  part,  bryjt,  670, 
706,  926.  O.  E.  Jryc- 
can. 

fryd,  adj.,  third,  1004  : 
J>ryde,  833;  J>rydde,  299. 
O.  E.  kidda. 

J>ryf,  V.  intr. ,  increase,  851; 
pret.  part,  as  adj.,  fortu- 
nate, happy,  868,  1192  ; 


in  phrase,  {>ryuen  &  hro, 

868:  inf.  851;  pret.  part. 

1 192.      O.  N.  Mfa. 
J>under,  n.,  thunder  :   875. 

O.  E.  J>unor. 
Jjurj,    prep.,    through,    10, 

"4.  323.   706  ;    among, 

730,    1049;  by  means  of, 

413,     640,     670,     968; 

because    of,    271,    1048. 

O.  E.  >urh. 
furjoutly,     adv.,     in     all 

things:  858.      O.  E.  J^urh 

+  ut  +  lice. 
J'us,  adv.,  thus  :   526,  569, 

573.     673,     677,      829. 

O.  E.  J>us. 
fy,  poss.  pron.:   294,    590, 

678,  679;hyn,  559,  567, 

754.    PI.  your,  257,  258, 

305,     306;     yor,      761. 

O.  E.  bin,  eower. 
f>yder,   adv.,   thither:   723, 

946.      O.  E.  Hder. 
]'yng,    n.,    thing,    matter  : 

771;  bynge,  910.     O.  E. 

hing.      Cf.  nol^ynk. 
}?ynk,  impers.  v.,  seem,  267, 

etc.;   pers.,  19  :  pres.     3 

sg.  hynk,  267,  316,  552, 

553,    590;     pret.     3    sg. 

bojt,    19,    153.       O.    E. 

hyncan. 
pys,  see  Hs. 


194 


^lo0s;ai^ 


u 

vch,  adj.,  each-^  followed 
by  the  indefinite  arti- 
cle, 78,  117,  217,  375, 
436,  461,  862,  1015, 
1059,  1066,  1080,  1210: 
vch,  31,  78,  323,  etc. 
— 18    times;     vche,     5, 

33»  117,  217,  310.  839, 

845,    1080.      O.    E.   aelc 

(ylc),  gehwilc.  Seevchon. 

vchon,     pron.,    each    one  : 

45°.  546,  595>  849, 
1039;  gs.  vchone^,  863, 
1 103.  See  vch  and 
on. 

vmbegon,  v.  tr.,  encircle: 
pres.  3  pi.  vmbegon,  210, 
O.  E.  ymbe  -)-  bigon. 
Cf.  gon. 

vmbepyjte,  part,  adj.,  bor- 
dered, purjiled,  204  5 
adorned  round  about, 
1052.  O.  E.  ymbe  + 
O.  N.  pikica.     See  pyche. 

vnavysed,  part,  adj.,  ill- 
considered:  292.  O.  E. 
un  -f-  O.  F.  aviser. 

vnblemyst,  part,  adj.,  un- 
blemished: 782.  O.  E. 
un  +  O.  F.  blemiss-,  stem 
of  blemir. 

vncortayse,    adj.,    ungra- 


cious: 303.  O.  E.  un  4" 
O.  F.  corteis,  cortois. 

vndefylde,  part,  adj.:  725. 
O.  F.  defouler;  O.  E. 
fylan. 

vnder,  n.,  nine  0'' clock  in 
the  morning,  =  circa  ho- 
ramtertiam  (Matt.  20.  3): 
513.      O.  E.  undern. 

vnder,  prep.,  under:  924. 
O.  E.  under. 

vnderstonde,  v.  tr. :  inf. 
941. 

vnhyde,  v.  tr.,  re'veal:  973. 
O.  E.  un  +  O.  E.  hy- 
dan. 

vnlapped,  part,  adj.,  un- 
bound, loose:  214.  Etym. 
unknown. 

vnmete,  adj.,  unfit:  759. 
O.  E.   [ge]met. 

vnpynne,  v.  tr.,  unlock: 
728.      O.  E.  n.  pinn. 

vnresounable,  adj.:  590. 

vnstrayned,  part,  adj.,  un- 
strained, unmolested:  248. 
Cf.  strayn. 

vnto,  prep.,  362,  718, 
1 1 69,  1212  ;  for,  Tj-i. 
Cf.  O.  L.  G.  unto. 

vntrvye,  adj.,  untrue:  897. 
O.  E.  treowe. 

vp,  adv.,  35,  177,  i9i> 
254.     437,     506,     974  i 


^Io0s(ar^ 


195 


about,  434.  O.  E. 
up. 

vpen,  vpon,  see  open. 

vpon,  prep.,  57,  370,  640, 
814,  824,  1074,  1083, 
1 172;  into,  595  to,  1 196; 
vpon  (JTi)  a  rawe,  545: 
vpone,  1054  (rime). 
Adv.:  208.  O.  E.  up- 
pon. 

vrj>e,  n.,  earth  as  distin- 
guished from  hea-Tjen  and 
hell,  442,  840,  1125;  fro 
J'e  vrbe  =  ex  hominibus 
(Apoc.  14.  4),  893:  trW, 
840.      O.  E.  eor>e. 

vr}?ely,  adj.,  earthly,  mor- 
tal :  135.     O.  E.  eorHlc. 

vtwyth,  adv.,  <without: 
969.      O.  E.  ut  +  wij). 

vus,  see  I. 


vale,  n. :   pi.  127.     O.  F. 

val. 
vayl,  v.  intr.,  a'vail:   912. 

O.  F.  valoir. 
vayn,  adj.,  empty;  in  vayn, 

useless,    687;    at  nought, 

811:  vayne,  687.    O.  F. 

vain. 
vayned,  see  wayne. 
veray,    adj.,    true:    1184; 

ueray,  1 1  85.  O.  F.  verai. 


verce,  n.,  'uersicle:  593. 
O.  F.  vers. 

vere,  v.  tr. ,  lift,  turn:  pres. 
3Sg.  verej,  i77;pret.  3sg. 
vered,  254.      F.  virer  ? 

vergyn,  see  vyrgyn. 

vergynte,  n.,  virginity. 
767.      O.  F.  verginite. 

Vertues,  pi.  n.,  one  of  the 
orders  of  angels,  or,  in 
general,  angels:  1126. 
O.  F.  vertu. 

uesture,  n. :  220.  O.  F. 
vesture. 

veued,  see  weue. 

uoched,  part,  adj.,  sum- 
moned: 1 121.  G.  cites 
O.  F.  vochier  <  vocare. 

vyf,  see  wyf. 

vygour,  n.,  po^wer:  971. 
O.  F.  vigueur. 

vyne,  n.,  'vineyard  (vinea, 
Matt.  20.  I.  ff.)  ;  labor 
vyne,  504:  502,  507, 
521,  525,  527,  535,  582, 
628.      O.  F.  vine. 

vyrgyn,  n.,  in  <  vyrgyn- 
flour,'  maiden  innocence, 
426:  pi.  vergynej,  1099. 
O.  F.  virgine. 

vys,  n.,  face:  750  ;  vyse, 
254.      O.  F.  vis. 

vysayge,  n.:  178.  O.  F. 
visage. 


196 


^lo0fifar^ 


w 

wade,  V.  intr. :    inf.    143, 

1 151.     O.  E.  wadan. 
wage,  V.   intr.,   undertake, 

endure  :     416.        O.    F. 

wager. 
wakne,    v.    intr.,    wwake; 

pret.       I      sg.     wakned, 

1 171.      O.  E.  waecnan. 
wal,n. ,  nvall:  1017,  1026; 

castel-walle,  917.     O.  E. 

weal. 
wale,     V.    tr.,    set    apart, 

1007  ;      discern,     1000. 

Cf.    O.    N.   velja;  Goth. 

waljan. 
•walk,    v.,    <TMalk ;    reflex., 

711:     inf.    399;    pret.    i 

sg.    welke,     i  o  i ;     3    sg. 

welke,      711.        O.      E. 

weal  can. 
wallande,  part,   adj.,  bub- 
bling,  'welling   up:   365. 

O.  E.  weallan. 
walte,  see  wolde. 
wan,  see  wynne. 
waning,    n.,     diminution, 

loss    (:=  injuriam.    Matt. 

20.      13):     558.      O.    E. 

wanung. 
war,  adj.,    wvjare:    1096. 

O.  E.  waer. 
warde,  see  towarde. 


■warpe,  v.  tr.,  sing  nvith  a 
loud 'voice:  879.  O.N. 
varpa. 

w^asche,  v.  tr. :  pres.  3  sg. 
waschej,  6555  pret.  3 
sg.  wesch,  766.  O.  E. 
wascan. 

•water,  n.,  in,  122,  139, 
143,  318,  365,  607,  627, 
647,  650,  653  ;  body  of 
nuater,  stream,  107,  299, 
318,  1077,  1156:  gs.  >. 
water,  230.   O.  E.  waeter. 

wa^we,  n.,  nva-ue  :  pi. 
w  a  w  e  J,  287.  Cf. 
M.  L.  G.,  M.  H.  G. 
wage, 

waxe,    V.    intr.,    increase, 

648  j  gronxj,  538  j  floiv, 

649  :  pret.  3  sg.  wex, 
538,  648  j  wax,  649. 
O.  E.  weaxan. 

way,  n.,  350,   691  ;  by  l?e 

way   of,    through,    580  : 

pi.   wayej,    691.     O.    E. 

weg. 
way,  adv. ,  a^uuay  :  do  way, 

718.      Aphetic   form   of 

O.  E.  aweg. 
wayne,  v.  tr.,  bring,  249  ; 

be  St  01V,  131  :  pres.  3  sg. 

wayne;,  131;  pret.  part. 

vayned,    249.      .■'•O.    N. 

vegna. 


^Io00ar^ 


197 


wayte,  v.  intr. :  pret.  part. 

w  a  y  t  e  d,     14.     O.     F. 

waiter, 
webbe,  n.,  ivo'ven  fabric  : 

pi.    webbej,    71.     O.   E. 

web. 
^vedde,  v.   tr.  :    inf.   772. 

O.  E.  weddian. 
weddyng,  n. :  791. 
wede,    n.,     clothes  :     748, 

766  J    pi.    wedej,    1102, 

1112,      II33.       O.     E. 

wsede. 
weete,  see  wete. 
wel,  adv.,  'well,  164,  302, 

411,  505,  673  ;   w.  adj., 

537  5    y^''*    Tnuch,    with 

comp.,  145,  148.  Comp. 

better,  341.   As  adj.  with 

dat.,  239,    1 187.    O.  E. 

wel. 
welcum,  adj.:  399.    O.  E. 

n.  wilcuma. 
wele,  n.,  prosperity,   342, 

394  5  happiness,  \\\  joy, 

133,     1 54 ;     &    wele    & 

wo,  342  :  pi.  welej,  154. 

O.  E.  wela. 
welke,  see  walk, 
•welkyn,  n.  :   116.     O.  E. 

wolcn. 
welle,  n.  :   365  ;  fig.   649. 

O.  E.  wella. 
welnygh,  adv.,  nvell  nigh: 


581;  welnej,  528.    O.  E. 

wel-neah. 
Twely,    adj.,     happy  :    loi. 

O.  E.  welig. 
wemlej,  adj.,  spotless:  -Jij. 

O.  E.  wamleas. 
wemme,    n.,    spot,    stain  : 

221,  1003.    O.  E.  warn  ; 

cf.  V.  wemman. 
^rende,   v.    intr.,  go:    inf. 

643  ;  pret.    i    sg.  wente, 

761  ;   3  sg.  went,  1130; 

3    pi.   wente,   525,   631. 

O.  E.  wendan. 
wene,  v.   tr.,  suppose,  47, 

etc. ;  merely  suppose,  con- 
jecture rather  than  kno-tu; 

hence  doubt,   1141  :  inf. 

1 141  j     pres.     I     sg.    in 

phrase,    I    wot   &  wene, 

47,    201  ;    pret.     I     sg. 

wende,     11 48.      O.     E. 

wenan. 
were,  v.   tr. ,   ivear  :  pret. 

3  sg.   wer,   205.    O.   E. 

werian. 
werke,    n.,    ivork  :     599. 

O.  E.  were, 
werkmen,  pi.  n. :   507. 
wesch,  see  wasch. 
wete,    adj.,    ivet  ;    dank, 

gloomy  ?    tearful  ?,    761; 

ivet  nvith   blood,    i  J  3  5  : 

weete,  1135-    O.  E.  wset. 


198 


6lo5s;ar^ 


^ef'er,  see  whej'er. 

weue,  V.  intr.,  come  :  inf. 
318;  pret.  part,  veued, 
976.    O.  E.  [be]wsefan. 

■weue,  V.  \x.,  ^joea-ue:  pres. 
3  pi.  weuen,  71.  O.  E. 
wefan. 

wex,  see  waxe. 

whalle,  11.,  ix>hale  \  whal- 
lej  bon,  injory  from  -ival- 
rus  teeth,  212.  O.  E. 
hwasl. 

what,  see  quo. 

whate^,  see  be. 

vrhere,  see  quere. 

whete,  n.,  luheat :  32. 
O.  E.  hwsete. 

wheper,  adv.,  neverthe- 
less: 581,  826.  O.  E. 
hwel'ere. 

whef»er,  interrog.  adv.,  in- 
trod.  direct  question,  565; 
conj.  correl.  w.  ot>er,  130, 
604:  vFe}>er,  565.  O.  E. 
hwEel^er.  Cf.  queberso- 
euer. 

why,  adv.,  338,  etc.;  inter- 
jection, 769  :  338,  515, 
564,  769;  wy,  290,  533, 
564  ;  quy,  561.  O.  E. 
hwi. 

whyle,  adv.,  at  times  -.  15. 
O.  E.  n.  hwl].  See  a- 
whyle. 


whyt,  see  quyt. 

winter,    n.    as  adj.  :    116. 

O.  E.  winter, 
wlonk,     adj.,    fine,    903  ; 

fair,  122,  1 1 71:  wlonc, 

903.      O.  E.  wlanc. 
■wo,  n.,  ivoe,  56,  154;  ad- 

ijersity,    &    wele  &   wo, 

342.      O.  E.  inter),  wa. 
wod,      n.,      forest:      iiz. 

O.  E.  wudu. 
wode,     adj.,     mad:    743. 

O.  E.  wod. 
wod-scha^we,    n.,   grove  : 

pi.     wod-schawe^,     284. 

O.  E.  wudu  +  scaga. 
woghe,    adj.    as  n.,   euil: 

622.      O.  E.  w5h. 
woje,     n. ,     'ivall  :     1049. 

O.  E.  wah. 
wolde,  V.  tr.,  hold  in  ponv- 

er,  possess,  call  one''  s  onvn : 

inf.     812  ;     pret.      part. 

walte,  as  adj.,  kept,  ivith- 

held,  1 156.      O.  E.  wal- 

dan. 
wolen,    adj.    as   n.,   nuool  : 

731.     Cf  O.  E.  wyllen. 
■wolle,      n.,      nxjool :     844. 

O.  E.  wull. 
■wovamon,n.,nvoman:  gp. ? 

wommon,    236.       O.   E. 

wifinan. 
won,   n.,   dnvelling- place. 


6loss;art! 


199 


917,  924,  1027  ;  to  wo- 
nej,  for  storage  ?,  32  ; 
wot>e  &  won,  1049  :  pi. 
wonej,  32,  917,  924, 
1027.     O.  E.  [gejwuna. 

won,  V.  intr.,  divell :  inf. 
298,  315,  644,  9185 
wony,  284 ;  pres.  3  sg. 
wonys,  47;  3  pi.  wonej, 
404.      O.  E.  -wunian. 

wonde,  v.  intr.,  hesitate  : 
inf.  153.  O.  E.  \van- 
dian. 

wonder,  n.,  with  force  of 
adj.,  ivondrous  :  221, 
1095.    O.  E.  wundor. 

"wonne,  see  wynne. 

wont,  adj.:  15;  wonte, 
172.  O.  E.  wunede  < 
wunian. 

wonte,  V.  tr.,  lack  -.  pret. 
3  sg.  wonted,  215.  O.N. 
vanta. 

wony,  see  won. 

w^orche,  v.  intr.,  ivork, 
'work  upon,  511,  824, 
etc. ;  tr.,  do,  make,  bring, 
embroider,  56,  63 S:  pres. 
3  pi.  worchen,  511;  pret. 
3  sg.  wrojt,  748,  825  ; 
3  pi.  wrojt,  555,  631  ; 
wrojte,  525  ;  wro^en, 
622  5  imp.  pi.  w^'rke;, 
536  ;    pret.   part,    wro^t, 


638,    824;     wra^te,     56. 
O.  E.  w)-rcian. 
worde,  n.,  nvord:  294;  pi. 

291.  307,  314.  367,  819- 
O.  E.  word, 
worlde,  n.,    ijoorld,    424, 

476,  537,  579»  657,  743, 
761,  824J  in  worlde,  <3/ 
all,  293.  O.  E.  world, 
woruld. 

w^orschyp,  n. ,  distinction: 
394,  479.  O.  E.  weorN 
schipe. 

worte,  n.,  plant:  pi.  42. 
O.  E.  \v\'rte. 

worf>e,  V.  'mxi.,  become,  be; 
is  worsen,  is  turned  (to): 
pres.  subj.  3  sg.  worhe, 
362;  pret.  part,  worsen, 
394.      O.  E.  weorhan. 

worjje,  adj.,  --vort/i,  ■~i.-orthy 
(w.  inf.)  :  100,  451. 
O.  E.  weorb,  wurl>. 

worj^ly,  adj.,  -tvors/iipful; 
as  n. ,  47;  njcorthy,  846; 
as  adv.,  1073,  1133: 
worhyly,  47;  worthyly, 
846.  O.  E.  n.  weorl' 
+  ly. 

worfy,  adj.,  honored, 
•Tvorthy.  494,  616  (gov- 
erning n.  without  a  prep.). 
Not  in  O.  E. ;  =  O.  S. 
wirHgj  O.  N.  verbugr. 


200 


^lo00ar^ 


vrorI?yl7,  see  worbly. 
wot,  pret.  pres.  inti., kno^iv; 

I  wot  &  wene,  47,  201: 

pres.  I  sg.  wot,  47,  201, 

1 107;        wate        (rime), 

502;    2  sg.    wost,  411; 

woste,    293;   pret.    i    sg. 

wyste,    65,    376;    2    sg. 

wystej,       617.      O.     E. 

witan. 
wofe,  n.,  danger:   375;  pi. 

151.      O.  N.  vaH. 
w^ounde,    n. :    650,   11 35. 

O.  E.  wund. 
wrajte,  see  worchen. 
•wrang,  n. ,  sin,  pain :  6  3 1 ; 


wrange, 


O. 


wrang. 
wrang,  adv.,  unjustly.  614: 

wrange,  488.      See  n. 
wrath]?e,  n.,  ivrath:   362. 

O.  E.  (North.)  v/xxWo. 
wreched,   adj.,    nvretched: 

56.     O.  E.  n.  wrecca  + 

ed. 
•writ,  see  wrjrt. 
wro,  n,,  place  in  a    book, 

lit.,  corner:    866.     O.  N. 

ra. 
wro^te,  see  worchen. 
wroken,    part,    adj.,    ban- 
ished:  375.     O.  E.  wre- 

can;  the  regular  part,   is 

wreken. 


wrol^e,  adj.,  at  odds:  379. 

O.  E.  wrajj. 
wryt,  n.,  scripture  :   592; 

writ,  997.      O.  E.  writ, 
wryte,  v.  tr.,  nvrite:  pres. 

3  sg.  wrytej,  1033;  pret. 

part,  wryten,    834,    866, 

871.      O.  E.  writan. 
wryfe,  v.  intr.,  turn  aside; 

turn,  as  in  active  work  or 

exercise:   350,  488;  pres. 

3  pi.  wryhen,  511.    O.  E. 

wril'an. 
wy,  see  why. 
wyde,  adj.,    'wide:    11 35. 

O.  E.  wid. 
wyf,  n.,   'wife:    846;   vyf, 

772  ;     pi.    vyuej,      785. 

O.  E.  wif. 
wyj,  n.,  person,  one;    pL, 

men,  people:    131,    722; 

pi.  71,  579.    O.  E.  wiga. 
wyjt,  n.,  person,  one:   338; 

wyjte,  494.    O.  E.  wiht. 
wyjte,  adj.,  acti've,  branje: 

694.     O.   N.  vigt,  neut. 

of  vigr. 
wyl,  V.  intr. ,  njuill,  be  'will- 
ing,  nvish;    w.   auxiliary 

force,    304,    488;    pret. 

=    pres.,     except     977, 

1 1 5  6 :    pres.    i    sg.    wyl, 

558;     3    sg-     3SP.    443> 
965;     subj.    2    sg.    wyl, 


<3\o&&dit^ 


201 


794;  pret.    i    sg.    wolde, 

390,    910,    977,    1155; 

a    sg.    woldej,    410;      3 

sg.      wolde,     304,    451, 

488,    77Z,    1195;    I    pi. 

849  ;   2   pi.   391.     O.    E. 

willan. 
wylday,       n.,      t/ie      day 

longed  for:   528.      O.  E. 

wildasg. 
wylle,  n.,  'will:   56,    131. 

O.  E.  willa. 
wylne,  v.  tr.,  desire  :  pres. 

2  sg.  wylnej,  318.    O.  E. 

wilnian. 


wyn, 


ivtne 


1209. 


O.  E.  win. 
wyng,  n. :  pi.  93.      O.  N. 

vaengr. 
Wynne,  adj.,  goodly,  fair  : 

154,     647.      O.     E.     n. 

wynn. 
^vynne,    v.    tr. ,    nvin,    32, 

etc.;     intr.,    make    one'' s 

ivay,  go,   107,  517:   inf. 

579.   694,   722  ;  pret.   i 

sg.  wan,  107  ;  pret.  part. 

wonne,  32,    517.    O.  E. 

winnan. 
wyrde,  n.,fate:  249,  273. 

O.  E.  wyrd. 
V7yrke3,  see  worchen. 
wys,    adj.,    clever:     748. 

O.  E.  wis. 


wysche,  v.  tr.,  desire,  long 
for :  pres.  part,  wysch- 
ande,  14.  O.  E.  wysc- 
an. 

wyse,  n.,  manner,  kind, 
sort  :  loi,  133,  1095. 
O.  E.  wise. 

wyse,  V.  tr.,  sho^jo  ;  intr., 
appear,  1135.  O.  E. 
wysian. 

wyt,  n.,  mind,  understand- 
ing :  903  ;  wytte,  294. 
O.  E.  witt. 

w^yth,  prep.,  tvz/A  ;  accom- 
paniment, 254,  284,  298, 
575  ;  manner,  80,  94, 
112,  183,  238,  332, 
367,  532,  629,  715, 
1089  ;    means,    40,    74, 

199,  200,  204,  219,  296, 
566,    716,    1088  :    with, 

200.  O.  E.  wib. 
wythdraje,    v.   tr.,    nuith- 

dra-Tv  :   pret.  3  sg.  wyth- 

droj,    658.      O.    E.    wijj 

-|-  dragan. 
w^ythinne,     adv.:       1027. 

Prep.:    440,    679,    966. 

O.  E.  wiHnnan. 
wythnay,    v.   tr.,    refuse  : 

imp.    sg.  wythnay,    916. 

O.    E.      wij'    +    O.    N. 

nei. 
wythouten,  prep.,  exempt 


202 


<&\OS$diV^ 


from  :  12,  24,  36, 

etc.  ; 

200,   254,   296.      0.  E 

w^-thoute,      644, 

695. 

cage. 

0.  E.  witjutan. 

yle,  n.,  pro-uince,  country 

•wj]>er,  adj.,  opposite 

:  230. 

693.      0.  F.  ile. 

0.    E.    adv.    and 

prep. 

ynde,  n.,  indigo  blue,  -vio 

wijjer. 

let  blue:  76,  1 01 6.   Angl 

Y 

ynde. 
yot,  see  gon. 

ydel,      adj.,      idle: 

514, 

yow,  see  hou. 

515.    531.    533- 

0.  E. 

Ysaye,     pr.     n  ,     Isaiah 

Idel. 

797,  819- 

yje,     n.,    eje  :    302, 

567, 

yuore,     n.,     injory  :     178 

1153  ;     pi.     yjen. 

183, 

0.  F.  yvoire. 

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